•Form Two students who will be transiting to Form Three will use the new set of books, and so will the current Form Ones.
•Starting with this year's national exam in December, students will be examined in the new set of books up to 2026.
Image: JOHN CHESOLI
Secondary school parents will now purchase new English and Kiswahili set books ahead of the first term that starts on Monday, April 25.
The new set of literature books will be implemented in schools for the next four years.
Form Two students who will be transiting to Form Three will use the new set of books, and so will the current Form Ones.
Starting with this year's national exam in December, students will be examined in the new set of books up to 2026.
Kiswahili set books were introduced in 2021 while English set books are new.
Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development approved the new set of books at the start of this year.
In a letter dated January 7, the institute said the new set of books will replace literature books that have been used since 2017.
“The new set books are replacing those that have been in place since 2017 as per the circular MOE/QAS/5/19/16. The duration of the study of set books is five years,” the circular reads.
The circular was titled ‘Approved Secondary Literature in English and Fasihi ya Kiswahili Set Books for 2022-2026.’
Set books contain compulsory novels, plays (tamthilia), short stories (hadithi fupi), and optional books.
Paul Vitta's Fathers of Nations published by Oxford University Press replaces Henry ole Kulet's Blossoms of the Savannah as the compulsory novel.
In the English optional books, Artists of the Floating World will replace John Steinbeck's The Pearl.
A Silent Song and Other Stories replaces Chris Wanjala's Memories We Lost in the anthology of the short stories genre as an optional set book.
The short stories are edited by Kenya's literature guru Godwin Siundu and published by Spotlight Publishers.
In Fasihi, Pauline Kea's Kigogo is now replaced by Bembea written by Timothy Moriasi in the play category (Tamthilia).
Nguu za Jodi makes it to the novel category replacing Asumpta Matei's Chozi la Heri.
Mapambazuko ya Machweo na Hadithi Nyingine was published by Mountain Top publisher. This will replace Tumbo Lisiloshiba na Hadithi Nyingine.
Edited by Kiilu Damaris