Government in efforts to tame piracy, theft of textbooks

Education Cabinet Secretary Dr Fred Matiang'i when he visited Aga Khan High School on November 13, 2017. [Photo: Courtesy]

The Government-supplied textbooks have enhanced security features to ensure they are not stolen or pirated.

The Ministry of Education has created a Government of Kenya branding and a 'not for sale' caveat on all the pages of the approved textbooks.

This is aimed to overcome piracy and ensure integrity and retention of books in schools, according to the ministry.

In a report on the provision of one text book per learner, the ministry, under Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i, has explained that five publishers were picked to print and distribute books in the first phase of the programme.

The publishers are Kenya Literature Bureau, Oxford University Press, Moran Publishers, East African Educational Publishers, and Longhorn Publishers.

"During the exercise, due diligence and absolute integrity were adhered to by the panellists. Marks were awarded for all textbooks submitted and comments made on areas of compliance. The best and lowest priced one (1) book was selected for each subject per class from the books submitted," reads the report.

It explains how the new policy would cut the cost of textbooks by Sh13.8 billion.

The Government will now spend Sh7.5 billion, down from Sh21.4 billion it has been paying for textbooks for public schools.

“There was marked difference in the cost of books and publishers explained that the central procurement was cheaper because it eliminated unnecessary costs of shelve life, marketing, distribution was in huge volumes and expectation was timely payments. The Government was assured of timely provision of books and savings for phase one of the programme was Sh13,819,083,600,”reads the report.

The current system gives schools control over which books to use, but price per unit was relatively high compared to other sub-Saharan African countries such as Benin, Côte d’Ivoire, Madagascar, Namibia, and Rwanda. 

At least four million textbooks for Form One students have been ordered in the six selected subjects – physics, biology, chemistry, mathematics, English, and Kiswahili.

The books are being distributed in schools ahead of the admission of last year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education examination candidates to Form One.

The printing of Form One books in the six selected subjects is currently over 70 per cent and minimum of 50 per cent. The delivery to schools started on December 27, 2017,” says the report.