How schools are struggling to teach pioneer Grade 10 class
Education
By
Mike Kihaki
| Feb 03, 2026
KICD CEO Charles Ong'ondo (centre) says Grade 10 textbook distribution is ongoing. [File, Standard]
Three weeks after the first cohort of Grade 10 learners, the pioneer class under Competency-Based Education (CBE) reported to senior schools, but learning is yet to take place.
School heads have raised concerns over delays in the distribution of textbooks and learning materials, warning that the setbacks are already disrupting teaching and could undermine the CBE rollout at senior school level. Most schools are yet to receive the full set of textbooks required for effective learning.
“We are working with digital content from unknown sources. The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) has not provided reliable information,” a teacher said.
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Most learning has been reduced to orientation sessions, subject introductions, and experimental teaching while awaiting books. “We cannot give classwork or proper assignments without textbooks,” another teacher noted.
Some teachers are still adjusting to new classroom layouts and pedagogical approaches, including students seated in circles rather than facing the teacher. In Nakuru, some schools had received only English textbooks, while a school in Makueni received just 145 books in two learning areas. Deliveries in other regions remain inconsistent, with some compulsory subjects lacking any materials.
Education experts warn the delays will have a lasting impact. Zizi Afrique Foundation CEO John Mugo said: “Imagine learners have eight lessons every day, multiply that by two weeks, then by one million learners, that is a massive amount of learning lost.”
The Ministry of Education attributes the delays to a long-standing Sh11 billion debt owed to publishers for Grades One to Nine textbooks. Education CS Julius Ogamba explained that publishers initially declined to supply Grade 10 books until part of the debt was settled. The government has since paid Sh5.6 billion, unlocking distribution.
However, as of February 1, only about 60 per cent of textbooks had reached schools, leaving more than 450,000 learners without essential materials. KICD data shows that 82 per cent of textbooks had been printed, with 57.8 per cent distributed by January 30. North Eastern region trails at 35.2 per cent, while Nairobi leads at 71.2 per cent.
School heads describe the rollout as chaotic. A Nyeri principal said: “For compulsory subjects, such as Kiswahili and Community Service Learning (CSL), we received just four teacher guides for 960 learners. This is monkey business. We were told books would arrive by February 6, but nothing has happened.” At Machakos School, principal Benson Manoo said schools have improvised by purchasing curriculum designs, sharing soft-copy notes, and partnering with university lecturers to bridge teacher shortages in specialised subjects.
Kitutu Masaba MP Clive Ombane criticised the ministry for failing to distribute textbooks after years of preparation. Ogamba said the ministry is grappling with a Sh48 billion budget deficit, affecting procurement of learning materials and construction of classrooms and laboratories.
Despite challenges, the CS said the government achieved a 98 per cent transition rate, admitting over 1.1 million learners into Grade 10.
In a letter to Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (Kessha) chairperson Willie Kuria, KICD CEO Prof Charles Ong’ondo confirmed that textbook distribution is ongoing, directing principals who have not received books to report through sub-county offices.
Education stakeholders warn that continued delays risk widening inequalities between well-resourced schools and those in marginalised regions, undermining the promise of the CBE.