KICD blames policy gaps, Ksh9B pending bill for textbook distribution challenges
By Ndiritu Wanjiru, July 15, 2026The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) has attributed delays in executing its constitutional mandate to policy, financial and legislative gaps, telling Members of Parliament that the lack of a clear policy on textbook procurement has left the institution with a pending bill of Ksh9 billion.
Appearing before the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Education on Wednesday, July 15, 2026, KICD Chief Executive Officer Prof. Charles Ong’ondo said the institute requires a clear policy framework governing the disbursement of funds for the procurement of textbooks for public schools.
KICD, which is mandated to develop, review and approve curricula, educational programmes and curriculum support materials that meet international standards, said the absence of a defined policy has significantly hampered the distribution of textbooks.
“The Institute needs a policy so that we can distribute textbooks,” Prof. Ong’ondo told the committee.
He added that the institution is currently grappling with a pending bill amounting to Ksh9 billion.
MPs question textbook funding process
Committee members sought clarification on how funds for textbook procurement are allocated, the institutions responsible for the allocation process and whether KICD had already developed the proposed policy framework.
In response, Prof. Ong’ondo explained that KICD’s role is limited to evaluating and approving textbooks, while the actual distribution of the learning materials is undertaken by the Ministry of Education.
He further informed lawmakers that the institute has already prepared policy proposals aimed at addressing the existing gaps and has submitted them to the Ministry of Education for consideration.
The Education Committee, chaired by Vice Chairperson and Kabondo Kasipul MP Eve Obara, was meeting with the institute as part of its oversight of the implementation of the 2025/26 financial year budget.
Committee reviews budget implementation
During the session, the committee also met officials from the Kenya Institute of Special Education (KISE) and the Centre for Mathematics, Science and Technology Education in Africa (CEMASTEA), who briefed MPs on the implementation status of their respective budgets for the 2025/26 financial year.