President William Ruto has stated that Kenya’s education sector is now on a path of steady growth, crediting this progress to strategic measures to address four major challenges that have hindered the system for decades.
Speaking during the 70th anniversary celebrations of Thika High School on Friday, May 15, President Ruto highlighted the government’s efforts to overhaul the education sector.
He noted that his administration has been working around the clock to resolve critical issues, including the implementation of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), teacher and classroom shortages, and persistent funding gaps.
“We have tackled each one of them systematically. We have aligned on CBE, and today there’s clarity on how our students will transition. Focus is no longer about passing one particular examination. We have now made examinations not a life-and-death issue,” he said.
He also emphasised that the new curriculum empowers students to succeed according to their individual strengths. By focusing on learners’ talents and abilities, the system moves away from the traditional “pass-fail” narrative, ensuring every student has a path to achievement.
“In the past, we treated these students the same, and we disadvantaged some students who are gifted differently. That is why our education system, for a very long time, produced too many failures because we had a one-size-fits-all system,” said Ruto.
President Ruto noted that about 60 per cent of learners are currently enrolled in STEM programmes, while the remaining 40 per cent are pursuing arts and sports pathways.
The Head of State further stated that 100,000 teachers have been employed since 2023, with another 20,000 expected to be hired this year. He also said that 23,000 new classrooms have already been constructed, with more expected to be built.
“We have built 23,000 classrooms across the country, and I’m very happy that we will be building some more classrooms in Thika today to add to that number,” said the Commander-in-Chief.
President Ruto also addressed previous funding challenges, acknowledging that past targets were often missed and the disbursement of resources was delayed.
“That is why we have made a deliberate decision that every term, before schools open, money for teaching arrives in schools before students report,” he said.
The President further noted that funding is now student-centred, ensuring financial support matches each learner’s specific needs and guarantees equal access to education. He said this targeted intervention has seen education sector funding rise from KSh500 billion to KSh702 billion in the last three years, with a proposed increase to KSh767 billion in the 2026/27 financial year.
“We have not done this as an afterthought; we have not done this randomly. We are doing it because if Kenya is to catch up with peers who left us behind and become a First World country, we must invest in education,” he said.
Linking education to the “Singapore dream,” Ruto argued that human capital is essential for Kenya’s economic transformation. He asserted that heavy investment in a world-class workforce would enable the country to replicate Singapore’s rapid transition from scarcity to prosperity.
“If Kenya is to become a First World country, we need to invest in world-class human capital to drive our transformation. No nation can develop beyond its capacity to think or create knowledge,” he said.
READ ALSO: President Ruto awards charters to Kenya-AIST and KEMRI, elevating them to degree-awarding institutions
The President praised Thika High School for its growth, noting that the increase in student population from 600 to 1,000 over the past decade reflects rising public confidence in the institution.
By Frank Mugwe
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper for timely updates.
>>> Click here to stay up-to-date with trending regional stories
>>> Click here to read more informed opinions on the country’s education landscape
>>> Click here to stay ahead with the latest national news.
