BY MUCERI MBAE
The Kenya Publishers Association (KPA) has urged the national government to urgently clear pending bills amounting to Sh9.5 billion to enable publishers to print and distribute books for Grade 11 learners ahead of the next academic year.
Speaking during the Regional Book Fair held at Kinoru Stadium in Meru County, KPA Chairperson Musyoki Muli said publishers across the country had come together to promote a reading culture among Kenyans while also addressing challenges facing the publishing sector.
Muli noted that publishers supply books to the government on credit and depend on timely payments to continue printing learning materials for schools.
“We don’t supply books upon payment to the government; we supply government with credit,” said Muli.
He explained that once the pending bills are settled, publishers would immediately channel the money into printing books required for the next level of learning under the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC).
According to Muli, Grade 11 books should be distributed before the end of next term so that learners reporting next year can find books already stocked in school libraries and shelves.
“Grade 11 books should be distributed by the end of next term,” he added.
The KPA chairperson also called on parents to ensure learners have at least two textbooks per subject to help them compare writing styles and understand concepts better.
He said different books offer varied approaches and interpretations despite covering the same curriculum, helping learners interact with content differently according to their abilities.
At the same time, Muli criticized some private schools for demanding too many textbooks per subject, saying the practice burdens parents unnecessarily.
“Private schools should not ask for more books per subject because they may end up not using them all,” he said.
He emphasized that schools should limit the number of books per subject to two or three since all approved books follow the same curriculum.
Muli further encouraged Kenyans to embrace reading and support local authors, noting that many creative works have been written by Kenyan writers but the country still struggles with a weak reading culture.
“We may not be known for reading, but let us encourage one another to be enriched with knowledge through books,” he said.
The regional book fair brought together publishers from different parts of the country in a campaign aimed at promoting reading in all forms among learners and the general public.
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