The Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development has unveiled new list of Literature and Fasihi set-books that will be used in secondary schools and teacher colleges.
Through a circular, the ministry of education stated that the final phase of change of set books for Literature in English and Fasihi ya Kiswahili for Secondary Schools for the period 2022 — 2026 has been finalized.
Some of the texts are to be studied by Form 3 students beginning April 2022 while others are scheduled to commence in January 2023.
The new texts shall be replacing those that have been in place since 2017. The duration for the study of set books is five (5) years. The new set books for English and Kiswahili and the ones to be replaced are captured on the Tables A and B below respectively:
A: (i) Literature in English — Compulsory Set Books
| TITLE/ AUTHOR | PUBLISHER | DURATION | TEXT TO BE REPLACED | PUBLISHER |
| COMPULSORY NOVEL Fathers of Nations by Paul B. Vitta (Approved by KICD, 2021 Edition) | Oxford University Press | 2023 – 2026 | Blossoms of the Savannah by Henry Ole Kulet | Longhorn |
| COMPULSORY PLAY (Play from the rest of the world) The Samaritan by John Lara (Approved by KICD, 2021 Edition) | Kenya Literature Bureau | 2023 – 2026 | A Doll’s House by Henry Ibsen | East African Educational Publishers |
A: (ii) Literature in English — Optional Set Books
| TITLE/ AUTHOR | PUBLISHER | DURATION | TEXT TO BE REPLACED | PUBLISHER |
| OPTIONAL NOVEL Artist of the Floating World by Kazuo Ishiguro (Approved by KICD 2021 School Edition) | Longhorn Publishers | 2022 – 2026 | The Pearly by John Steinbeck | Bookmark Africa |
| ANTHOLOGY OF SHORT STORIES (Optional) A Silent Song and Other Stories edited by Godwin Siundu (Approved by KICD 2021 School Edition) | Spotlight Publishers (EA) Limited | 2022 2026 | Memories We Lost by Chris Wanjala | Moran (EA) |
| OPTIONAL PLAY A Parliament of Owls by Adipo Sidang (Approved by KICD 2021 School Edition) | East African Educational Publishers | 2023 – 2026 | Inheritance by David Mulwa | Longhorn |
B: Fasihi ya Kiswahili — Compulsory Set Books
| TITLE/ AUTHOR | PUBLISHER | DURATION | TEXT TO BE REPLACED | PUBLISHER |
| TAMTHILIA Bembea by Dr. Timothy Moriasi (Kimeidhinishwa na KICD Toleo la 2021) | Access Publishers | 2022 – 2026 | Kigogo by Pauline Kea Kyovi | Storymoja |
| HADITHI FUPI Mapambazuko ya Machweo na Hadithi Nyingine (Kimeidhinishwa na KICD Toleo la 2021) | Mountaintop Publishers | 2022 – 2026 | Tumbo Lisiloshiba na Hadithi Nyingine by Alifa Chokocho na Dumu Kayanda | Longhorn |
| RIWAYA Nguu za Jadi by Prof. Clara Momanyi (Kimeidhinishwa na KICD Toleo la 2021) | Queenex Publishers | 2023 – 2026 | Chozi La Heri by Assumpta K. Matei | One Planet |
Fathers of Nations, a novel by Paul B. Vitta has been chosen as the English Literature compulsory text.
Fathers of Nations will replace Blossoms of The Savannah by Henry Ole Kulet (Long horn publishers).
The current optional text, The Pearl written by John Steinbeck will be replaced by Parliament of Owls published by the East African Educational Publishers.
At the same time, A Silent Song and other Stories which is an anthology of short stories will replace Memories we Lost.
In Fasihi, Assumpta K Matei’s Chozi La Heri will be replaced by Nguu za Jadi by Prof. Clara Momanyi as a compulsory set text.
The new anthology of short stories in Fasihi will be Mapambazuko ya Machweo replacing Longhorn Publishers’ Tumbo Lisiloshiba.
For teachers training colleges Samuel Wachira’s A Spider’s Web will be studied as a novel while Mzigo wa Kichaa will be studied at Diploma levels.
It is important to note that even after the publishers emerged winners, they are still expected to make changes suggested during the evaluation stage.