Shop withdraws vulgar storybook from its shelves

Blood Ties. Textbook Centre has pulled out of its shelves the story book for children which has vulgar and foul language following public outcry. PHOTO | COURTESY

What you need to know:

  • Parents expressed on social media their disappointment in the choice of language for the primary school recommended book.
  • The company lauded Kenyans of goodwill who brought the matter to its attention.
  • Storymoja managing editor and KICD confirmed that the book is not KICD Approved.

The Textbook Centre has withdrawn a storybook that contains foul language, which some schools had asked parents to buy for Class Six pupils, from its shelves.

In a statement on Wednesday, the bookshop, admitted that the book called Blood Ties had been recommended by some schools as a children reader.

The bookshop said: “Textbook Centre believes in upholding high moral standards and raising generations of responsible citizens who are not only education but also ethical. We endeavour to stock and distribute merchandise that reflect the same and we have done so for the last 55years,” said the statement.

The company lauded Kenyans of goodwill who brought the matter to its attention.

VULGAR LANGUAGE

On Wednesday, parents took to social media to express their disappointment on how a book that uses f-word can be approved for use in primary school.

The book titled Blood Ties is by Storymoja life series. It is authored by Zimkhitha Mlamzeli and was available at Textbook Centre.

NOT APPROVED

“This book is not approved by KICD. It is not listed in the Orange book that contains a list of all books that schools should use for teaching and learning,” said Kenya institute of curriculum development (KICD in a tweet.

Several parents had claimed that they had been asked to buy for their class six children the book.

Storymoja managing editor Monity Odera admitted that the book was not approved by the Kenya Institute of Curriculum Development.

“We regret the alarm and anxiety caused by a section of the text that was used in a particular scene involving a violent robbery incident, which if read out of context, might be misconstrued. In actual fact, the book guides the reader on the steps to be taken should they find themselves in a similar situation and underscores the sensitivity with which victims of sexual abuse should be treated,” said the statement.