Also known as: KICD
Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development — state corporation responsible for curriculum development and textbook procurement; awarded most productive State Corporation in 2026.
Verbatim sentences from the source article.
The Standard
… While they occasionally publish novels, novellas or short-story collections, such works are often tailored to satisfy church-inspired moral standards and the requirements of textbook evaluation panels at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development. …
How smartphones and textbooks squeezed out the popular novelCitizen Digital
… But Professor Charles Ongondo, the CEO at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, the body responsible for book distribution, told the forum that they are using data as provided in October 2025. …
SAM'S SENSE: Education, mind the gapsThe Standard
… The lawmakers raised concerns during a session of the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Education, where Basic Education Principal Secretary Julius Bitok, Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) officials, and other education agencies appeared to defend the 202 …
MPs demand urgent release of funds to avert Grade 11, 12 textbook delaysThe Standard
… Of that, Sh7.6 billion relates to printing, packaging and distribution of textbooks by the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), while Sh4.75 billion is owed to the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC). …
Budget crisis leaves six million learners without state fundingThe Standard
… During the Third National Disability Dialogue forum at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, stakeholders discussed policy implementation, caregiving, accessibility and the rights of persons with disabilities. …
Stakeholders push for more disability inclusion at national dialogueCitizen Digital
… Gicharu, who also serves as the Chairman of the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD), noted that when integrity and ethics are cascaded downward and integrated into the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) at primary and secondary school levels, they become easier to emb …
MKU to partner with EACC in mobilising youth on Integrity TrainingCitizen Digital
… He said the commission has stepped up public engagement efforts, including working with counties and institutions such as the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, to promote ethics and anti-corruption awareness. …
'Courts must be respected!' EACC clarifies concerns of dropping casesThe Standard
… Our vision is to ensure that assessment drives quality, equity, and meaningful learning for every learner in Kenya.” To support implementation, the government, in collaboration with the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development, has rolled out a series of interventions designed t …
How CBE Learners are discovering hidden talents in CBEThe Standard
… Between 2020-2024, Kenya government spent through Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development about 27.9million shillings on school textbooks. …
Pirated and counterfeit textbooks could be a silent epidemicCitizen Digital
… The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development’s decision to include Grade 10 in formal assessment, and to set benchmarks for subsequent cohorts, confirms that creative work should be integrated into learner portfolios and schemes of work. …
OPINION: The drama festival needs a Creator PlaybookParliament's Public Investments Committee is investigating payments by national secondary schools to the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESHA), with some schools paying as much as Sh6 million. The committee wants to establish whether KESHA is legally entitled to receive public funds and whether its activities are subject to audit by the Auditor-General.
4 September 2026 · Capital News →
Parliament's Public Investments Committee is investigating payments by national secondary schools to the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (KESHA), with some schools paying as much as Sh6 million. The committee wants to establish whether KESHA is legally entitled to receive public funds and whether its activities are subject to audit by the Auditor-General.
4 September 2026 · Capital News →
Kenya's universities need to evolve their teaching methods and collaborate with school Boards of Management and the Commission for University Education to accommodate the first cohort of learners under the Competency-Based Curriculum, which emphasizes competence, creativity, and adaptability over memorization and conformity.
21 August 2026 · The Standard →
A 2026 Junior School Education and Senior School Survey Report shows that after seven years in school, nearly three in every 10 learners are joining Junior School without being able to read and understand a simple Grade 3 story or solve a basic Grade 3 mathematics problem.
20 August 2026 · The Standard →
An opinion piece argues that Kenya's creative economy is becoming a core engine of economic growth, with the arts sector strengthened by global shifts toward valuing human creativity and digital skills in the AI age. The author cites the 98th National Kenya Music Festival and notes that Kenya is demonstrating educational synergy between arts and technology, while developed nations still adjust their policies.
14 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The National Assembly will consider six Bills proposing reforms across Kenya's education sector, targeting basic education governance, national assessments, curriculum development, teacher training, tertiary education funding and qualification recognition. The Bills, sponsored by the Leader of the Majority Party, have been committed to the Education Committee for consideration and public participation.
12 August 2026 · Capital News →
The National Assembly's Committee on Education has begun scrutinizing four proposed Bills aimed at implementing recommendations from the Presidential Working Party on Education Reform. The key legislation includes the Tertiary Education Placement and Funding Bill, which would merge tertiary education financing bodies and introduce a means-testing system for student support based on household income and financial need.
6 August 2026 · Capital News →
The National Music Festival in Bungoma County has showcased talent from both established and little-known schools. Standout performers include Utwiini Primary School from Makueni County, which finished second in its category, along with winners in various competitions including Nzoia Sugar School in Choral Music for Junior Schools and Highlands Junior School in the Swahili Choral Verse category for Junior Schools.
6 August 2026 · The Standard →
The National Assembly's Departmental Committee on Education is reviewing four education reform Bills aimed at restructuring student funding and strengthening governance in learning institutions. A key proposal is the Tertiary Education Placement and Funding Bill, which seeks to merge the Higher Education Loans Board, Universities Fund Board, and TVET Funding Board into a single Tertiary Education Funding Authority.
5 August 2026 · The Standard →
Learners with disabilities performed at the 98th Kenya Music Festival national edition, calling for greater investment in assistive technologies, accessible learning environments, and equal opportunities. The festival has placed Special Needs Education at the heart of celebrations, becoming a platform for national conversation on disability inclusion and unlocking the potential of learners living with disabilities.
5 August 2026 · The Standard →
Kenya's government announced plans to commercialise student talents to tap into the global creative economy, aligning educational programmes with national economic priorities. The Basic Education Principal Secretary stated the state aims to turn co-curricular activities into viable economic pathways as part of the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
4 August 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Twelve Kenyan education technology startups have received $100,000 each in equity-free funding under the fourth cohort of the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship at iHub, with an 18-month programme offering business advisory, mentorship, and investor linkages to accelerate digital learning innovations.
30 July 2026 · The Standard →
The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development has not paid publishers more than Sh9 billion for textbooks supplied to public schools, with the institute attributing the backlog to the lack of a clear policy governing the procurement and funding of learning materials.
17 July 2026 · The Standard →
An opinion piece argues that new publishers entering the school textbook market through curriculum changes should spread their bets and proceed cautiously, as governments remain the primary customer and competition from established and new entrants continues to intensify.
11 July 2026 · The Standard →
The 1,693 ECDE teachers in Meru received salary increases following implementation of a scheme of service, with certificate, diploma, and degree holders now eligible for career progression across specified job groups. The county also introduced a feeding programme and upgraded classroom facilities, measures the union says will improve morale and service delivery.
11 July 2026 · The Standard →
The Kenya Literature Bureau has sought Parliament's intervention to recover more than Sh251 million in long-outstanding debts from government institutions, citing cash flow challenges and threats to financial stability. The Auditor-General reports KLB has trade receivables of Sh1.05 billion, with Sh251.5 million unpaid for over 90 days.
8 July 2026 · The Standard →
At the 98th Kenya Music Festival, learners are using poetry, music, dance and elocution to tackle social, economic and environmental challenges. A school from Taita-Taveta County demonstrated high performances with messages on financial literacy, environmental conservation, human-wildlife conflict, integrity, education, peace and youth empowerment.
7 July 2026 · The Standard →
The 2026 Kenya Music Festival, underway under President Ruto's creative economy agenda, will integrate professional artists who are not necessarily teachers into the program to mentor students. This year's festival theme focuses on enhancing the creative economy through artistic expression for sustainable development.
1 July 2026 · Citizen Digital →
The government has reaffirmed its commitment to improving access to affordable menstrual health products by supporting local manufacturing, maintaining tax incentives on sanitary products, and strengthening partnerships. The commitments were highlighted during the adoption of the Kenya Menstrual Economy Conference (KMEC) 2026 Declaration at the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development in Nairobi, where stakeholders from government, development partners, manufacturers and civil society endorsed a roadmap to transform the country's menstrual economy.
1 July 2026 · The Standard →
The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development says teachers should not take offence when learners correct them, as the Competency-Based Education system is designed to nurture confident, questioning students who explore their individual potential rather than competing against one another.
29 June 2026 · The Standard →
The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development (KICD) has been awarded the most productive State Corporation at the inaugural National Productivity and Performance Conference 2026, maintaining Excellent Productivity ratings with a Productivity Index of 4.746 in FY 2024/2025. President William Ruto presented the award at Kenya School of Government in recognition of KICD's exceptional productivity, innovation, and operational efficiency.
19 June 2026 · The Standard →
An opinion piece argues that despite technological constraints on printing in the 1980s–1990s, popular East African fiction thrived during that period but has since declined, with the author attributing the shift to smartphones and textbooks replacing mass-market entertainment novels.
6 June 2026 · The Standard →
Following a fire at Utumishi Girls Senior School that revealed the institution had admitted 715 students despite a 650-student capacity, questions have emerged about communication breakdowns between the ministry headquarters and schools, including delays in admission reporting and uncertainties around capitation disbursement and textbook distribution.
5 June 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Lawmakers have called for a review of the Government's textbook procurement and funding model, citing concerns that delayed capitation disbursements could disrupt printing and distribution of Grade 11 and 12 books under the Competency Based Curriculum.
24 May 2026 · The Standard →
Kenya's basic education budget for 2026/27 carries a Sh71.77 billion shortfall severe enough to leave more than six million learners without government capitation, according to figures presented by the Principal Secretary of Education to parliament on Wednesday. The shortfall means 3.7 million primary school learners will receive no capitation or be funded at half the required rate, while junior secondary and secondary education also face critical funding gaps.
14 May 2026 · The Standard →
Caregivers, persons with disabilities, policymakers and government officials gathered in Nairobi for the Third National Disability Dialogue to discuss accessibility, rights and service delivery. The National Council for Persons with Disabilities said the forum would review progress in advancing disability rights over the last 20 years and discuss implementation of the Persons with Disabilities Act of 2025.
14 May 2026 · The Standard →
Mount Kenya University and the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission have agreed to partner in leveraging young people's innovation and energy to foster a culture of integrity. The MKU Chairman said integrating integrity and ethics into the Competency-Based Curriculum at primary and secondary school levels would help nurture a conscious generation.
11 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
EACC CEO Abdi Mohamud dismissed claims that the commission drops cases or conducts weak investigations, stating that courts determine outcomes, not the commission. He emphasized that Kenyans must understand constitutional freedoms and the appeal process in high-profile cases that have passed through multiple courts.
5 May 2026 · Citizen Digital →
Four months into senior school, Kenya's first cohort of Competency-Based Education learners is revealing hidden talents and aligning learning with personal interests, demonstrating the impact of the country's education reforms. Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba said the transition marks a departure from exam-driven culture and is preparing learners for a world defined by technological and economic change.
5 May 2026 · The Standard →
Counterfeit textbooks—unauthorised reproductions of legal published materials made without copyright holder permission—are being distributed through bookshops, college bookstores, school libraries and online marketplaces, often with faded print, missing chapters and illegible diagrams despite authentic-looking covers and ISBNs.
3 May 2026 · The Standard →
An opinion piece argues that Kenya's 2026 National Drama and Film Festival, which included over 120,000 learners and formal Grade 10 assessment, should develop a "creator playbook" covering financial management, taxation, intellectual property, and online safety to convert creative talent into economic outcomes and sustainable livelihoods.
24 April 2026 · Citizen Digital →