Text Book Centre Launches 60-School Campaign to Fight Classroom Inequality
NAIROBI — Text Book Centre has rolled out a major education support initiative to mark its 60th anniversary by donating textbooks and learning materials to under-resourced schools across Kenya.
The company launched its “60 Schools in 60 Days” campaign on Wednesday, pledging over 3,000 books and more than Ksh.1 million worth of school supplies to benefit at least 30,000 students. The announcement was made during a handover event at the Desai Foundation offices in Nairobi.
TBC CEO Sachin Varma said the campaign honors the company’s six decades of service to Kenyan education. “Education remains the foundation of a fair and thriving society,” Varma said. “We are celebrating our journey by giving back, and reaffirming our pledge to close the gap for children who still lack the tools they need to succeed.”
Founded in 1964, a year after Kenya gained independence, Text Book Centre has grown into one of the country’s leading education resource providers, with 14 branches and a growing online presence.
Despite receiving the highest allocation in the 2023/24 budget Ksh.666.08 billion—Kenya’s education sector continues to face major shortages in learning materials. UNESCO data shows that more than 1.8 million children in Kenya still lack access to essential textbooks. In some schools, the student-to-book ratio remains as high as 5 to 1.
TBC’s campaign focuses on three areas: distributing educational materials, working with teachers to integrate the tools into classrooms, and creating systems to measure long-term impact.
“Our approach goes beyond handing out books,” said TBC Chief Operating Officer Chetan Rughani. “We’ve identified schools with the greatest need, coordinated with educators to use the resources effectively, and set up a framework to track progress. This is part of our wider, sustained commitment to educational equity.”
During the launch, 18 schools received textbooks, stationery, and art supplies in partnership with the Desai Memorial Foundation. Similar events will follow in other counties over the next two months.
Mandera’s Bethany Joy School Director Orlando Walter, who received supplies for his students, called the support timely and critical. “For many learners, these books will be the first they’ve had personal access to,” he said.
TBC is also calling on individuals, companies, and organizations to take part in the drive. Customers can buy donation bundles in-store or online, contribute learning materials directly, or volunteer to visit participating schools.
“Progress happens when businesses, communities, and citizens act together,” said Varma. “We invite everyone to be part of this. No child should be denied the chance to learn simply because of where they were born.”
