MASALANI, Kenya — President William Ruto has defended his administration’s heavy investment in the education sector, saying the government’s decision to expand the budget from Sh500 billion in 2022 to Sh702 billion this year is part of a long-term strategy to strengthen Kenya’s human capital and accelerate the path toward first-world status.
The President said the increased allocation has enabled the government to improve school infrastructure, recruit 100,000 teachers, and expand funding for technical colleges and universities.
“We made a deliberate decision to increase the education budget from Sh500 billion in 2022 to Sh702 billion this year to strengthen our education system,” Ruto said.
“This investment has helped improve school infrastructure, enabled the hiring of 100,000 teachers, and expanded funding for our colleges and universities.”
Ruto argued that equipping citizens with the right skills remains central to national development, noting that education is the most reliable tool for upward mobility and economic transformation.
“Our goal is to equip our people, our greatest resource, with the highest quality skills to build the human capital necessary to move Kenya towards first-world status,” he said. “We also want every child in every part of the country to have the chance to access quality education that empowers them to thrive in life.”
The Head of State made the remarks during his visit to Masalani, Garissa County, where he officially opened Yusuf Haji Girls Secondary School and handed over a new school bus to the institution. He also laid the foundation stone for Phase II of the school’s expansion, which includes additional classrooms and boarding facilities.
The project is part of the wider North Eastern education enhancement programme aimed at increasing access to secondary schooling, especially for girls, in regions historically marked by insecurity, teacher shortages, and low enrolment rates.
Ruto’s administration has framed education funding as a key pillar of its Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda, linking improved learning outcomes to job creation, innovation, and long-term economic competitiveness.
As the country heads toward the 2027 General Election, education remains one of the most politically resonant sectors, with parents, teachers, and learners watching closely to see whether the government’s financing commitments will translate into tangible improvements in classrooms nationwide.
