Parents in Homa Bay County have raised alarm over the soaring cost of school textbooks and learning materials as schools reopen for the first term of 2026, saying the rising prices are placing an unbearable strain on already stretched households.
John Yamboi, a parent, said many families have been left with little choice but to buy books in small quantities due to the high prices.
“As parents, we are really struggling with the high prices which are straining households. There is no alternative because children must go to school, but we are asking the government to intervene and lower the cost of books,” Yamboi said.
He added that he travelled a long distance to purchase textbooks for his children, only to be shocked by the current prices at a local bookshop in Homa Bay town.
“I have come to buy books, but the prices are very high. I cannot afford to buy all of them at once, so I am forced to take them one by one,” he said.
Other parents echoed similar concerns, noting that the tough economic climate has made it impossible to meet education costs alongside basic household needs.
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Faith Bosibori, a parent with children in Grade 5, Grade 7, and college, said balancing school requirements with daily expenses has become increasingly difficult.
“Books are very expensive and as a parent, I cannot afford to buy all the books for all my children. You are forced to buy only the basic ones and in bits because the family has other needs, like food, rent, and other household needs to be met,” Bosibori said.
Another parent, Paul Otewa, noted that the rising cost of textbooks is part of a broader increase in education-related expenses.
“Everything has gone up – books, pens, uniforms and even school fees. Parents are suffering, and there is very little they can do. We are asking leaders and those in authority to look into the issues affecting parents because many families are hurting,” Otewa said.
Parents are now calling on the national government and education stakeholders to intervene by regulating textbook prices and exploring ways to make learning materials more affordable, warning that continued high costs could negatively affect learners’ access to quality education.
By Odoyo Miranda
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