Publishers warn of textbook shortage over Ksh.11.4B Gov't debt

The Kenya Publishers Association has raised the alarm over potential delay in the printing and distribution of textbooks for senior schools, citing a government debt of Ksh.11.4 billion owed to the industry.

The pioneer Competency-Based Education (CBE) class set to join senior school in January requires 7 million copies of textbooks and literary works.

Publishers warn that unless the government clears the outstanding payments, the timely delivery of learning materials could be in jeopardy.

At the heart of the crisis is a government debt of over Ksh.11.4 billion, money owed to publishers for textbooks already supplied to learners in Grades 1 to 9 over the past year.

According to the Association, the delay in payment for textbooks already supplied to learners in Grades 1 to 9 over the past year has left the industry cash-strapped, threatening the timely production of 7 million books needed for the pioneer CBE cohort joining senior school in January 2026.

"Supply of books for Grades 1–8 amounts to Ksh.11.15 billion, while books for Grade 9 total Ksh.234 million. This debt has created a ripple effect across the entire book value chain," the Association Chairperson Kiarie Kamau said.

The publishers say the total requirement for Grade 10 includes 35 different textbooks and literary works, which 21 publishing firms will supply, all of which must be delivered before schools reopen.

"The total number of copies that we will be supplying for Grade 10, which need to be printed and distributed to all public schools by January 2026, is estimated at 7 million. Printing these copies will take approximately 60 days, followed by 30 days for distribution," Kiarie noted.

The main supply of textbooks for the first senior school cohort is scheduled to start between October and December.

However, publishers warn that learners could be reported to school without learning materials if the debt is not cleared.

"Operations within our publishing houses have been severely constrained, with many publishers struggling to meet day-to-day operational costs. A potential crisis is likely to occur come January 2026 if this money is not paid," he stated 

The publishers are urging the government to clear the outstanding debt immediately to avoid disruptions in the education sector.