This archive report was first published on 28 July 2019.
On July 28, 2019, the Ministry of Education made a U-turn on its earlier promise to provide a textbook for every upper primary school pupil, citing a cash crunch.
According to reports, the government had initially planned to offer a textbook for each of the six subjects to the 2.6 million Class Five and Six pupils. However, due to a lack of funds, the ministry decided to have three pupils share a single textbook.
The Sh700 million allocated for the purchase of textbooks was deemed inadequate to meet the demand, with the ministry stating that it would only be able to provide textbooks to the pupils in January.
Many Kenyans have expressed disappointment and frustration with the government's decision, with some questioning the reason behind the backtrack. The government's desperation to cut costs is understandable, but the welfare of our children should be prioritized.
When the government introduced the direct supply of textbooks to schools last year, there were high hopes that the target of achieving a 1:1 textbook to pupil ratio would be attained. The programme aimed to improve learning in our schools by providing the necessary tools.
Now, the government is urged to come up with a quick solution to ensure the textbooks programme succeeds. Increasing the budgetary allocation for the ministry would be a step in the right direction, allowing our children to have access to enough books and equipment to enable learning in a conducive atmosphere.
