By Amoto Ndiewo
Kenya Publishers Association chairman Lawrence Njagi has said that since they have completed printing the school text books, the publishers are set to start disrupting the 21 million text books on Monday.
Talking to the media the chairman clarified that they wanted the books to be distributed before grade five resume lessons to avoid delays.
“The distribution of the books was delayed due to midterm holiday from 2nd to 7th June,’’ he said.
“ The distribution for the pioneer grade five class is to start early even though they will reopen schools in July then take their final one year in primary to join junior secondary,’’ noted Njagi
Walking the path of the new Competence Base Curriculum which rendered 8-4-4 education and books irrelevant, the government contracted nine publishers to produce grade five books.
And walking a new path, unlike in the past when the books were delivered to the sub county headquarters from where the head teachers would pick them up, this time round the books will be delivered directly to the 30,000 primary schools in Kenya.
Last June Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) awarded nine publishers tenders to supply text books to grade four and five books under the CBC umbrella.
“ The firms will supply 12 categories of textbooks for the grade five rollout,’’ he said.
Kenya Literature Bureau will supply Islamic Religious Education (IRE) and Kiswahili books; Moran Publishers to handle English books; Mountain Top are in for Home Science and Agriculture books . Mentor publishers will give Art and Craft, Science and Technology, and Social Studies while East African Educational Book Publishers will deliver Christian Religious Education (CRE) books.
Longhorn will supply music books as Jomo Kenyatta Foundation will deliver Physical and Health Education books.
The chairman said that the publication of French, Arabic, Mandarin and indigenous books will be put on hold since they are optional subjects and they need to wait for schools to reopen to establish the number of interested learners.
