The Kenya Institute Curriculum Development(KICD) has warned parents against buying some Kiswahili primary textbooks for their students as schools reopen for second term learning.
The KICD posted on it's Twitter page that certain Kiswahili textbooks have errors that may mislead the young students.
"Parents don't buy any book. Go for KICD approved to avoid pirated books with such glaring mistakes. Compare with the second one," reads the tweet.
"Dont fall into the whims of people with a vested interest who smile when you like, retweet and share without a second thought,"
Hence parents have been urged to be more vigilant before they purchase the books. They further distanced themselves from the book with errors saying that they have had not approved it.
In adding their voices to the issue most Kenyans have accused KICD of harboring cartels within themselves who ensure the wrong books are in circulation.
Havs u checked tge books you are approving for our children???..since when has Sikio became kifua???..KICD is a cartel in the education sector...— KIPSUS THE III (@Gkipserem) May 4, 2018.
The book industry is a billion-dollar business in Kenya. Book piracy is an industry by itself. The cartels are too powerful taking advantage of lack of enforcement and general impunity. KECOBO is too weak an agency— Babu Michael (@Babu_yao) May 4, 2018.
so what is what? both are printed books... how does a parent know the authentic one? does KICD have a system in place to protect the public from the pirated copies?— #kwibuka24 (@KigaliNrbGirl) May 4, 2018.
Hivi ndivyo kuuenda When a publisher decides to engage a quack editorial designer...I keep saying watu wakae kwa lanes zao when it comes to graphics. I dont know how #KICD discovered its a pirated copy. See... pic.twitter.com/Es3dyz9Fg2— KABUGO (@kabugooo) May 4, 2018.
You people are kidding, right? Provide book cover and pages, graphic. Ni watoto wetu wanasoma these books, something ought to be done. Verify if approval is by KIE or KICD— Old Major (@itsKiragu) May 4, 2018.