Parents in Homa Bay have raised concern over the rising cost of school textbooks and other learning materials as schools reopen for the first term of 2026.
Speaking to parents at several bookshops in Homa Bay town, they said the tough economic times have made it difficult to buy all the required books at once, forcing many to purchase only the most basic learning materials.
John Yamboi, a parent, said he had travelled a long distance to buy textbooks for his children but was shocked by the current prices.
“I have come to Maam Bookshop to buy books, but the prices are very high. I cannot afford to buy all of them at once, so I am forced to take them one by one,” Yamboi said.
“As parents, we are really struggling with the high prices which are straining households. There is no alternative because children must go to school, but we are asking the government to intervene and lower the cost of books,” he appealed.
Another parent, Faith Bosibori, who has one child in Grade 5, one in Grade 7 and another in college, insisted that balancing education costs with basic household needs has become increasingly difficult.
“Books are very expensive and as a parent, I cannot afford to buy all the books for all my children. You are forced to buy only the basic ones and in bits because the family also needs feeding, rent needs to be paid, and other family needs must be met,” she said.
Paul Otewa echoed similar sentiments, saying the overall cost of education has sharply increased.
“Everything has gone up – books, pens, uniforms, and even school fees,” Otewa said. “Parents are suffering, and there is very little they can do. We are asking leaders and those in authority to look into the issues affecting parents because many families are hurting,” he said.
Bookshop owners also lamented that the high prices have also affected sales. Milicent Matengo, who runs a bookshop within Homa Bay, noted that business has significantly dropped compared to previous years.
“As you can see, we have only served two customers since we opened in the morning. In the past during this period, the shop would be full and parents would be lining up but it is not the case this year because there is no money. The costs of books are high, and even parents who want to buy cannot afford all the books, so they only pick a few which they can afford,” Matengo said.
The parents appealed to the government and relevant authorities to consider measures that would lower the cost of learning materials to ease the burden on families as the new school term begins.
By Sitna Omar
