MPs demand urgent release of funds to avert Grade 11, 12 textbook delays

MPs have called for a review of the Government’s textbook procurement and funding model amid fears delayed capitation disbursements could disrupt printing and distribution of Grade 11 and Grade 12 books under the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC). 

The lawmakers raised concerns during a session of the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Education, where Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok, Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) officials, and other education agencies appeared to defend the 2026/27 budget estimates.

At the centre of the discussion was a looming Sh7 billion pending bill owed to publishers for books already delivered to schools, with MPs warning that continued payment delays could erode trust between the Government and publishers and ultimately affect the timely supply of senior school textbooks.

MPs are now pushing for the timely distribution of textbooks to schools with a proposal to ensure that Grade 12 textbooks are printed and distributed by May of 2027.

Documents tabled before the committee show the Ministry is heavily relying on capitation releases to settle textbook debts and finance printing of Grade 11 and Grade 12 learning materials.

KICD chief executive Prof. Charles Ong’ondo admitted that publishers are still waiting for payment despite procurement for Grade 11 books already being completed.

“The pending bills as at March, that is money that has not been paid to contractors for books delivered in schools, was about Ksh7 billion,” Ong’ondo told the committee.

Lawmakers warned that any delays in delivery of Grade 11 and Grade 12 books could significantly disrupt learning during one of the most critical phases of CBC rollout.

“Our request is that you help us as a committee to get the required resources so that these books can be printed on time,”Ong’ondo said.

Lawmakers questioned why the Ministry had failed to establish a protected textbook budget despite CBC entering one of its most resource-intensive phases under senior school transition.

Julius Melly, the committee chairman argued that unlike the 8-4-4 system, CBC requires specialised and pathway-based learning materials that must be prepared and distributed months before learners report to school.

“You squander the trust of publishers and printers every time you delay these payments,” Melly said during the session.

Kitutu Masaba MP, Clive Gisairo, warned that publishers could slow down printing if the Government fails to urgently clear the pending bills.

“You know very well most of the members here are teachers. We always clear syllabus eight months before exams. Now that you are working on Grade 11 now and the students are going to be in Grade 11 in the next few months, and the textbooks are not there yet, publishers are going to go slow if you don’t work on this issue,” the MP said.

The lawmakers further pushed the Ministry to ensure textbooks are supplied as early as May to allow adequate syllabus coverage ahead of examinations.

However, the Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok defended the rollout plan, insisting the Ministry was still within schedule despite the funding crisis.

“We are very much ahead of time on this issue of Grade 11 books and I don’t think there will be any problem. Already, the procurement of Grade 11 was completed and what we are now waiting for is the money to be paid,” Bitok told MPs.

Bitok stated that once capitation funds are released, publishers will immediately begin printing and distributing books to schools.

“Usually as soon as we receive the money from the Ministry it is paid. The last batch we received of Ksh5.6 billion is fully paid,” Ong’ondo said.

The textbook crisis emerged as the State Department for Basic Education disclosed a wider Ksh71.7 billion budget deficit affecting key programmes including capitation, school feeding, examinations and infrastructure.

Education officials warned lawmakers that unless Parliament intervenes to bridge the funding gap, delayed capitation could continue affecting procurement and distribution of learning materials across schools.

The committee session exposed growing anxiety among MPs over the sustainability of CBC implementation amid shrinking allocations and rising operational demands under senior school transition.