An accumulated Sh11 billion debt owed to publishers is the reason for the delay in the distribution of Grade 10 textbooks , Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba has said.
He said that part of the long-standing debt has been settled.
Mr Ogamba said that learning is underway across the country as the ministry races to meet the January 31 deadline to fully equip schools.
Parents and guardians purchase textbooks and stationery at Topgate Bookshop in Nairobi on January 5, 2026 ahead of the reopening of schools.
Photo credit: Bonface Bogita | Nation Media Group
The stand-off left many of the 1.13 million pioneer Grade 10 learners idling or relying on digital notes as they transitioned into the first year of senior school.
However, CS Ogamba assured Kenyans that learning continues, particularly in schools that have already received the textbooks.
“What happened for Grade 10 is that the government owed the publishers about Sh11 billion from previous debts covering Grades 1 to 9. The publishers refused to provide textbooks for Grade 10 until the arrears was paid,” the CS explained.
He added that the ministry will continue to adhere to the one-to-one textbook policy for each learning area, using the National Education Management Information System (Nemis) to distribute the books.
A parent buys textbooks for her daughter at a bookshop in Kisumu on January 4, 2025 ahead of the reopening of schools.
Photo credit: Alex Odhiambo | Nation Media Group
In the last three weeks, the government raised Sh5.6 billion to partially offset the debt owed to publishers, breaking the deadlock and allowing the distribution of books to begin. The CS directed principals to notify the ministry if they have not received books.
The Grade 10 textbooks, which have a lifespan of four years, started reaching schools on January 16 and are expected to be delivered to all public institutions by the end of January 2026.
“As of today, 40 percent of the required books have been supplied to various institutions, with the target to complete distribution by the end of the month,” CS Ogamba said in a KTN interview.
He noted that during the previous transition for Grade 9, some schools did not receive the learning materials, despite the government releasing 9.9 million textbooks.
“We directed principals to notify us if they did not receive books. In Grade 10, we will maintain the one-to-one target and will continue pushing until all schools are fully equipped by the end of this month,” he added.
The minister also confirmed that the Ministry has reached an agreement with publishers to supply all Grade 10 books as the government clears the remaining Sh4.4 billion debt. The publishers had reportedly refused to print or distribute materials for the pioneer cohort until the arrears were addressed.
The delay left thousands of Grade 10 students who are pioneers of the Senior School cycle, without essential learning materials for their chosen pathways. Senior School offers three distinct tracks: Arts and Social Sciences, STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics), and Creative Arts and Sports.
With the school term underway, principals have raised concerns about implementing the curriculum.
In many institutions, teachers are relying on digital downloads or notes from the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) while waiting for physical copies.
In some schools, students have been seen idling.
Despite these reports, CS Ogamba maintained that learning is ongoing.
“Most institutions are conducting orientation for students, clustering them into the right pathways and explaining the subjects they will undertake. This is part of the process during this first transition. These issues are expected with a pioneering class,” he said.
He assured that future transitions would be smoother as textbooks would already be in place. Schools that have received the materials are distributing them, and learning is continuing as planned.
