The Kenya Literature Bureau (KLB) has brushed off claims that the government ordered the withdrawal of some of its curriculum books from the market.

In a notice published on My Gov on Tuesday, February 16, 2026, the publisher clarified that none of its approved titles had been removed from circulation by the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD).

“Kenya Literature Bureau (KLB) wishes to inform all our customers, partners and stakeholders that none of our curriculum books has been withdrawn by the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD),” KLB clarified.

The bureau maintained that all its books, which are currently in circulation, remain duly approved by KICD and are valid for use in any school within the country.

Adding that its curriculum textbooks fully comply with the standards and guidelines prescribed by KICD, the state agency responsible for curriculum development and the approval of instructional materials in the country.

The publisher reassured schools, teachers, parents, and distributors that there is no existing directive for the withdrawal of any of its materials from the approved list.

“All our books, currently in circulation, are duly approved by KICD and remain valid for use in Kenyan schools,” the bureau said.

Concerns over textbook shortage

The development comes less than a week after parents and booksellers voiced concerns over the scarcity of essential textbooks for primary and junior secondary students.

Reports indicate that the shortage has primarily impacted recently reorganised and consolidated subjects, as well as newly introduced books for Grade 10 learners who began school in January.

As of early February, academic activities for Grade 10 had not fully commenced due to the lack of approved curriculum materials, with some schools forced to rely on outdated 8-4-4 curriculum books.

However, the Ministry of Education quickly moved in and assured parents and learners that 8.4 million books had been sent to schools, with the government promising to fully address the shortage. 

Meanwhile, the Ministry of Education says it has distributed more than 8.35 million Grade 10 textbooks to public senior schools across the country to support learning under the Competency-Based Education (CBE).

In a statement released on Sunday, February 15, 2026, the ministry said it had supplied 8,355,780 textbooks, representing over 70 per cent of the 11,867,325 books earmarked for distribution. It added that the remaining consignment will be delivered by the end of February 2026.

The update comes amid growing concern from some schools that Grade 10 learners, particularly those pursuing the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) pathway, are facing textbook shortages, with less than two weeks to the mid-term break.