By Ken Muthomi - Reporter
Kenya, 16 June 2026 - The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) has issued a three-day ultimatum to all principals in senior schools to submit data on Grade 10 learners to facilitate textbook distribution.
In a notice on Tuesday, the KICD Director General Charles Ong’ondo said that the principals will be required to submit the number of Grade 10 learners per subject and indicate the number of textbooks they have already received for each subject by June 19.
According to the institution, the first phase of Grade 10 textbook distribution had already been wrapped up using data initially provided by the Ministry of Education.
Ong’ondo said that the new data from principals will enable KICD to verify Grade 10 enrolment figures in every public senior school by the end of the first term of 2026, particularly the number of learners taking various subjects.
Ong’ondo said that the verification exercise will be fundamental in guiding the second phase of textbook distribution to ensure that learners have access to textbooks for their selected subjects on a one-to-one ratio in line with the government’s policy.
In case of any clarification, the school heads have been advised to contact the institute through the email address bookdistribution@kicd.ac.ke or by calling 0733 762 412 for assistance.
“The Institute is seeking to confirm the Grade 10 student enrolment data in every public Senior School by the end of First Term 2026 in terms of numbers of learners taking various subjects,” the notice read.
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“Deadline for submission is 19th June 2026. Those principals who have already submitted their data need not submit,” it added.
More than one million Grade 10 learners enrolled in senior secondary schools in 2026 out of 1,130,459 candidates who sat the 2025 Kenya Junior School Education Assessment (KJSEA).
Speaking to senators in March, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said that out of the more than 9,700 secondary schools in the country, around 330 failed to admit a single grade 10 learner and 2,400 enrolled fewer than 20, thus prompting a review of placement policy and school capacity.