Economy

Knut rejects Matiang’i single textbook order

sossion

Knut Secretary-General Wilson Sossion. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Teachers have rejected government plans to restrict primary school pupils to a single book for every subject as opposed to the current six.

Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut) questioned the process being used to overhaul the Orange book—register of approved books— terming the exercise as misinformed and warning that it will affect the learning process in schools.

Education Cabinet Secretary Fred Matiang’i said the six books per subject are not benefiting students but those in the publishing business.

Knut Secretary-General Wilson Sossion in a letter to Dr Matiang’i said the Orange book had been developed following extensive consultations over time, and offer students and teachers a variety.

“The listing of books offers variety for choice of learning materials by students and teachers in schools and is professionally well informed. It was started to shift from the earlier monopoly of Kenya Literature Bureau (KLB) publishing school books that were poor in content and quality,” said Mr Sossion.

“We hereby write to formally register our reservation on the pronouncement and demand that a proper consultation process be instituted.”
Kenya Institute of curriculum development (KICD) has since been directed to move with speed and implement the directive, with Mr Matiang’i warning that he will not accept the education sector to be used by people who want to make money at the expense of quality education.

READ: How blind optimism spawned Sossion's successful publishing business

KICD Director Dr Julius Jwan supported the reduction of books saying it would help students to learn and not to be overburdened by books.
School heads have been accused of striking deals with publishers to have their books used in schools.

A report released by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) last year unearthed massive irregularities in the procurement of textbooks for public schools, with head teachers playing a key role in the racket.

The fraud included forged signatures, delivery of phantom books, overpricing and single-sourcing of suppliers by instructional materials selection committees at the school level.

The confidential report by EACC —Examination into the Disbursement and Utilisation of Free Primary Education Funds — blamed the roles played by heads, school management committees and suppliers for the failure to achieve the 1:1 book-to-pupil ratio.