President Ruto has announced plans to build 1,600 science laboratories across the country starting July.
A move, Ruto said is part of a broader effort to address the shortage of science laboratories in rural schools as well as enhancing accessibility to quality education by bridging the gap between schools in rural and urban areas.
Speaking during the 3rd National Executive Retreat at the KCB Leadership Centre in Kajiado on June 19, 2025, President Ruto noted that many students especially in schools in rural areas lack access to laboratories for practical work in schools. He also emphasized that modern laboratories are critical for fostering innovation and equipping students with hands-on experience
” We still have schools without laboratories, some of our students engage with a Bunsen burner for the first time during national exams. We are going to build 1,600 new laboratories in schools, especially in rural areas,” Ruto stated.
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The president also stated that the government plans to employ 24,000 teachers by January 2026 to replace the ones who are set to retire late this year.
“We are going to hire another 24,000 teachers; the money is in the budget this year. By January, they will be in class, and the next year we will hit the balance of the teachers so that we get to the 116,000 that we committed ourselves to the people of Kenya,” he stated.
Additionally, he has promised to streamline the means-testing process for placing university students in the new university funding model. With the current model facing criticism for being opaque, slow and prone to errors leading to delays in disbursements and mismatches in student allocations.
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Education stakeholders have long called for a transparent, efficient method that accurately reflects students’ financial needs and ensures timely support. “We will streamline and enrich the means testing instrument so that every child is placed in the right band so that we don’t disadvantage a child in Kenya,” he said.
By Masaki Enock
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