President William Ruto chairs a cabinet meeting in State House on April 29, 2025/PCSThe Cabinet has approved the Higher Education, Science, and Technology Phase II Project.
The Cabinet said this is a major initiative to improve the quality and relevance of STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education in Kenya.
In a Cabinet dispatch shared Tuesday, the President William Ruto-led Cabinet said the project addresses key challenges.
“These challenges are such as inadequate infrastructure, a shortage of teaching staff, and limited commercialisation of university research, challenges that have contributed to Kenya’s low ranking in the 2023 Global Innovation Index,” the dispatch read.
The key components include upgrading STEM facilities in public universities, establishing a Science and Technology Park, a National Physical Sciences and Research Laboratory, and a Centre of Excellence in Maritime Engineering.
The project will also introduce Competency-Based Education and Training at the university level and fund postgraduate training for STEM lecturers.
It will also strengthen partnerships with industry and global universities.
The initiative will offer short, skills-based training to improve youth employability in technical fields, with a focus on increasing women’s participation in STEM.
Ruto chaired the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, where they approved a raft of reforms in different sectors.
The Cabinet approved the Affordable Housing Regulations, 2024, a landmark policy framework aimed at making homeownership more accessible and equitable for Kenyans.
The move is part of the government’s commitment to delivering the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).
The Cabinet said the regulations will operationalise the Affordable Housing Programme, a key pillar of President William Ruto’s development blueprint.
The new framework provides legal clarity and structure for the implementation of affordable housing projects nationwide.
A central highlight of the regulations is the reduction of the housing deposit requirement from 10 per cent to 5 per cent, significantly lowering the barrier to entry for aspiring homeowners.
“The regulations also provide for equitable housing allocation across different income groups and access to low-interest or low-monthly-payment home loans,” the dispatch read.
“They further include structured deposit assistance for individuals who are unable to make upfront payments.”
They have also approved the dualling of the 20.2 kilometre Nairobi Northern Bypass.
The dualing of the road is a key upgrade aimed at easing traffic congestion.
The cabinet secretaries said the move is also aimed at expanding the road’s capacity to handle growing traffic volumes.
“The upgrade is expected to improve traffic flow, enhance road safety, and boost access to economic hubs, industrial zones, and essential services in Nairobi and Kiambu counties,” the dispatch reads.
The project will convert the current single carriageway into a dual carriageway.
