This archive report was first published on 12 January 2020.
On January 12, 2020, the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) awarded a Sh273 million tender to Oxford University Press East Africa for the supply of learning materials for the new Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) to public schools.
The publisher won the lucrative deal through a restricted tender last October, beating Centum-owned rival, Longhorn Publishers, to win the tender that involved 'printing, packaging and distribution of core course materials for the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) Grade 4.'
Restricted tendering is a procurement method that limits the request for tenders to a select number of suppliers, contractors or service providers.
According to the tender details, Oxford University Press East Africa will print, package, and distribute CBC Grade 4 course materials.
The government's move to supply textbooks directly to schools is aimed at achieving a 1:1 textbook to student ratio and improving learning in schools.
However, the programme has faced challenges in the past, including massive fraud in the procurement of textbooks for public schools, which was unearthed by a report by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) in 2016.
