DNK International By Our Reporter,Dagoretti
A major theft of learning materials has been reported at Gitiba Primary School and Junior School in Dagoretti, Nairobi,
This is after thousands of government issued textbooks (7,446) were discovered missing from the school store under unclear circumstances.
According to a report filed at Mutuini Police Station, the incident came to light on January 5, 2026, the official school opening day, when the school’s headteacher, Beatrice Andambi, instructed teachers to collect textbooks for distribution to learners.
The exercise was abruptly halted after it emerged that the books were nowhere to be found.
There was no record of visible signs of forced entry, with all store doors found intact, raising concerns of a possible inside job or carefully planned theft.
An inventory conducted by the school revealed that textbooks across nearly all grades were missing, including 495 Grade One books, 1,491 Grade Two books, 1,516 Grade Three books, 68 Grade Four books, 46 Grade Five books, 735 Grade Six books, 1,385 Grade Eight books and 1,710 Grade Nine books, bringing the total to 7,446 textbooks.
Each textbook is valued at Ksh 800, placing the total estimated loss at approximately Ksh 5.96 million.
All the missing books bear the official school stamp, a factor expected to aid investigations and recovery efforts.
Officers from the National Police Service visited the school and confirmed the loss.
The incident has dealt a serious blow to learners and parents, coming at a time when access to textbooks remains critical under the Competency Based Curriculum, and has reignited debate on the security of public school learning materials.
[DNK-International@January 12,2026]
