The government has revealed new set books for secondary schools and Teachers Training Colleges (TTCs). KCSE set texts are replaced after four years have elapsed.
The process of book replacement is subjected to a rigorous panel, which includes Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) officers and quality assurance standard officers from the Ministry of Education (MoE).
Teachers, tutors in TTCs, and university dons in English and Kiswahili are also used in the evaluation process. KICD evaluates the books to determine suitability for use in relation to the objectives of secondary and TTC curricula.
KICD on Friday invited publishers whose entries won the tenders and gave them letters to confirm the same. However, KICD is yet to issued an official circular to that effect.
This time round, KICD received a total of 142 books from 39 publishers after the horn of submission honked in March 2021. These comprised 90 set books for Kiswahili and 52 for English.
Before undergoing approval, the KICD received a total of 142 books from 39 publishers after the timeline of submission began in March 2021. These consisted of 52 set books for English and 90 set books for Kiswahili.
At the moment it has been established that a novel, Fathers of Nations, by Paul B. Vitta, published by Oxford University Press East Africa, will replace Blossoms of the Savannah by Henry ole Kulet (Longhorn Publishers) as a compulsory text.
Parliament of Owls (East African Educational Publishers) – Optional. It will replace The Pearl, by John Steinbeck.
An anthology of short stories by the name “A Silence Song and other Stories” – (Spotlight Publishers) will be replacing Memories we Lost, by Chris Wanjala.
Cheche za Moto by John Habwe – (Jomo Kenyatta Foundation) will be the compulsory Kiswahili, substituting Chozi La Heri by Assumpta K Matei published by One Planet.
The new anthology of short stories for Kiswahili, Mapambazuko ya Machweo – (Mountain Top Publishers) will replace Tumbo Lisiloshiba – Longhorn Publishers.
For teacher training colleges (TTC), A Spider’s Web novel written by Samuel Wachira will be the study novel.
A play Mzigo Wa Kichaa (Jomo Kenyatta Foundation), and Penzi La Damu (EAEP) novel, will also be read at the diploma level in Teachers Training Colleges.
The publishers are expected to make corrections that were suggested during the evaluation level.
The texts will replace the current setbooks which were introduced in 2018. They will be in use for 5 years, proving the winning publishing firms a steady source of income after the state began purchasing set books for all students in public schools.
