Printing firms have declined to produce Grade 10 textbooks over a debt of Sh4 billion for Grade 8 and 9 books supplied since 2022, a standoff that now threatens to derail the rollout of the competency-based education (CBE).
According to a spokesperson for the Kenya Association of Manufacturers (KAM), operations within its printing sub-sector have been severely constrained by the government’s failure to settle the massive debt, leaving printers unable to sustain production.
The first cohort under the CBE is set to transition to Grade 10 – the entry level of senior secondary school – next year, and failure to produce the required textbooks could disrupt the smooth continuation of the new education system’s implementation.
“Due to non-payment by publishers, printers are unable to proceed with the production of Grade 10 textbooks, putting the implementation of the CBE at risk,” the spokesperson told this publication.
“The debt has severely strained the financial operations of printers and manufacturers, posing a significant risk to the continued rollout of the CBC curriculum, especially for Grade 10 learners to transition to senior school in January 2026,” added the spokesperson.
The debt is owed to publishers, who are contracted by the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) to develop textbooks and supply them to schools.
Publishers, in turn, hire printers to produce the books, but only pay them once the government settles its own bills, which, according to KAM, happens only after the contracted quantities have been fully delivered.
Delegates buy textbooks during the 2025 Kenya Primary School Heads Association conference in Mombasa on November 12, 2025.
Photo credit: Kevin Odit | Nation Media Group
KAM says publishers have not been paid for Grade 8 and 9 textbooks supplied to public schools, leaving them unable to pay printers. The unpaid bills have pushed printing firms into financial distress, forcing them to default on supplier credits and tax obligations.
Kenyan publishing firms that have won contracts by the government to produce textbooks for schools have, since 2019, jointly printed more than 200 million textbooks for public schools under the CBE.
The printers say that, besides accruing supplier debt, they are also forced to borrow money to pay value-added tax (VAT), which is due by the 20th of every month, further straining their cash flow and raising their expenses.
KAM has urged the government to prioritise clearing the debt, issue letters of credit to publishers and printers to guarantee payment once contracts are fulfilled, and fast-track the awarding of contracts, given the lengthy production process.
“The textbook production process requires a minimum of 60 days for printing and an additional 30 days for distribution. Issuing contracts on short notice disrupts cash flow, forcing both publishers and printers to rely on costly credit facilities,” the KAM spokesperson said.
Last month, the Kenya Publishers Association faulted KICD for delaying the settlement of bills for already supplied books, which strained their relationship with service providers, including printers.
KICD declined to comment, saying it only contracts publishers on behalf of the Ministry of Education.
Kenya Publishers Association Chairperson Kiarie Kamau.
Photo credit: Dennis Onsongo | Nation Media Group
The chair of the Kenya Publishers Association (KPA), Mr Kiarie Kamau, confirmed to the Nation that distribution of textbooks for Grade 10 has not started since the printers are declining to take orders before payment. He revealed that the money has been owed for more than one year.
“KPA warned about this crisis about a month ago. We’re going to the printers, and they are saying they will not print unless they are paid what is owed,” he said.
He added that the publishers are owed Sh10 billion by the government, and they, in turn, owe printers Sh4 billion.
Mr Kamau, who is also the CEO of East African Educational Publishers, said that KICD has already approved the books for publication. He said the delayed payment has also affected the running of the publishing firms.
“Publishing profit margins are thin. If a publisher had taken a bank loan to finance this project, their profit margins would have been wiped away. It affects the general operations of the firms, too,” Mr Kamau added.
Basic Education Principal Secretary Prof Julius Bitok had not responded to our enquiries by the time of going to press.
