President William Ruto speaking in Nairobi on July 27, 2025 / PCS
President William Ruto has assured parents the government remains committed to free, compulsory and quality basic education.
Recent reductions in capitation had triggered anxiety among families already struggling with the high cost of living.
“Free primary education is a constitutional right for all children,” Ruto said.
"In the last two years, we have worked to ensure that education is truly universal and free." He was speaking during a service at ACT St Martins Light Church in Kariobangi, Nairobi.
Ruto’s assurances follow a public uproar over a decision to reduce secondary school capitation from Sh22,244 to Sh16,900 per learner.
The cut sparked fears that families will struggle to fill the funding gap. The President reiterated that no child will be denied education due to financial constraints.
Reforms are underway to seal spending loopholes and ensure every shilling allocated directly benefits learners, he said.
“Education must be affordable, accessible, good quality and relevant,” he said.
Ruto said over past two years, the government has hired 76,000 teachers to close the teacher-learner gap, with an additional 24,000 teachers to be recruited in January next year.
He also highlighted the signing of a long-term Collective Bargaining Agreement with teachers’ unions KNUT and KUPPET, aimed at ensuring industrial harmony.
“We’ve agreed with unions to avoid strikes. The CBA signed will guarantee uninterrupted learning until 2029,” the President said.
National Treasury CS John Mbadi addressed the issue on Friday during a Thanksgiving event in Suba South. He said the government is disbursing 100 per cent of the amount allocated by Parliament but acknowledged the allocation itself remains insufficient.
“We disbursed the full amount as approved in the budget, but it’s still not enough,” Mbadi said.
“What I confirmed is that we’re giving everything that was allocated, but it does not add up to Sh22,000 per learner.”
Mbadi said Parliament is responsible for passing budgets that fall short of the actual cost of delivering free secondary education.
At the Kariobangi church service, Ruto was accompanied by MPs Antony Oluoch (Mathare), Felix Odiwuor (Lang’ata), Peter Orero (Kibra), Kasarani MP Ronald Karauri and nominated Senator Karen Nyamu.
Nyamu urged the church to stand behind the government, quoting scripture to reinforce the idea that authority is divinely appointed.
“The church cannot be on the opposite side of the authority that God has given us,” she said.
Kasarani MP Karauri urged the President to stay the course and ignore critics.
“People will always talk, but I encourage you to focus on delivering for Kenyans and transforming lives,” Karauri said.
INSTANT ANALYSIS
Under international human rights law, primary education must be free and compulsory, while secondary and higher education should become progressively free.
Ruto’s reaffirmation of this right, while politically timely, faces a credibility test due to budget shortfalls.
The tension between constitutional obligations and fiscal constraints raises questions about sustainability and the government’s ability to shield households from rising education costs.
