President
William Ruto addressing thousands who turned up for the Madaraka Day celebrations
at the Wajir stadium. /STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Garissa
County KNUT Executive Secretary Abdirizack speaking to the press in Garissa
town. /STEPHEN ASTARIKO
Education stakeholders in Northeastern have welcomed President William Ruto’s commitments, saying they will boost standards and address long-standing challenges in the region.
President Ruto on Monday announced measures targeting teacher recruitment, infrastructure development and expansion of learning opportunities in marginalised areas.
The president who spoke at Wajir Stadium during Madaraka Day celebrations particularly singled out arid and semi-arid regions where he wants the measures implemented.
The theme of this year's Madaraka Day was “Education, Skills and the Future,” putting the sector at the centre of the government’s development agenda.
Kenya National Union of Teachers executive secretary for Garissa county Abdirizack Hussein praised the government’s focus on local teacher training, particularly the announcement that 4,616 young people from Northeastern are currently enrolled in teacher training colleges—the highest number in the region’s history.
“The President’s acknowledgement that 4,616 young people from this region are enrolled in teacher training colleges is a clear indication that the government is investing in long-term solutions,” Hussein said.
He said training local teachers would help address chronic staffing gaps in schools but urged the government to prioritise their absorption upon graduation.
He also noted that many junior secondary schools are grappling with teacher shortages, with some institutions relying almost entirely on head teachers.
Hussein attributed part of the staffing crisis to insecurity in border areas, which has led non-local teachers to seek transfers. He said recruiting local teachers would ensure stability and continuity in learning.
He called for continuous teacher retooling to support implementation of the Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) curriculum, particularly for STEM pathways.
Hussein also urged faster promotion of teachers stuck in the same job groups and harmonisation of salaries to boost morale and productivity.
Governance expert Abdullahi Maalim described the President’s commitments as timely, saying it renews hope for learners in the North.
He welcomed the operationalisation of Wajir, Kotulo, Mandera and Garissa teacher training colleges, noting they would produce teachers familiar with local socio-cultural contexts.
Maalim praised the recruitment of 1,800 local teachers and the expansion of classrooms and laboratories, saying these investments are key to strengthening STEM education.
The President announced the government has increased the education budget from Sh500 billion in 2022 to over Sh700 billion, hired more than 100,000 teachers in three years, and plans to recruit 20,000 more this year.
He also highlighted the construction of 23,000 classrooms nationally and 1,000 laboratories, many in arid and semi-arid regions, alongside ongoing teacher recruitment and training initiatives aimed at improving education outcomes in the Northeastern.
President
William Ruto addressing thousands who turned up for the Madaraka Day celebrations
at the Wajir stadium./STEPHEN ASTARIKO
