‎President William Ruto has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to investing in education, describing schools as the foundation of Kenya’s future workforce, leadership and innovation economy.

‎Speaking during the 70th anniversary celebrations of Thika High School on Friday, Ruto praised the institution for producing generations of leaders and professionals while calling for renewed investment in modern learning infrastructure.

‎The President said the government views spending on education as a long-term national investment rather than a cost.

‎“This is why government support for education is not treated as an expenditure. It is an investment, an investment in the future workforce, future leadership, and future prosperity of our nation,” Ruto said. 

‎Ruto used the occasion to celebrate the role historic schools have played in shaping Kenya’s development, saying institutions such as Alliance High School, Kapsabet Boys, Maseno School and Thika High represent different chapters of the country’s national story.

‎“Seventy years ago, visionary men and women planted a seed here in Thika because they understood a simple but powerful truth: Education has the power to change lives, shape nations and transform the future,” he said. 

‎The Head of State said Thika High School stood out because of its contribution to the country’s industrial and economic growth.

‎“As Kenya transformed economically and industrially, schools like this one transformed the human capacity that powered that transformation,” he said. 

‎Founded in 1956, the school has grown into a leading national institution with close to 2,000 students drawn from across the country. Ruto said the school’s growth reflected the trust parents and Kenyans have placed in it over generations. 

‎The President also acknowledged the pressure the rising student population has placed on infrastructure, noting that classrooms, dormitories and laboratories were overstretched.

‎“Quality education cannot thrive where facilities are inadequate. Our children deserve safe, dignified, and supportive environments where they can learn, innovate, grow, and discover their full potential,” he said. 

‎He commended the school’s board, alumni and parents for ongoing expansion projects, including the construction and renovation of dormitories and improvement of internal roads. 

‎Ruto further challenged schools to align learning with emerging global technologies, saying artificial intelligence, robotics and digital innovation were rapidly reshaping economies worldwide.

‎“The future economy will reward not only knowledge, but also creativity. Not only credentials, but innovation. Not only information, but problem-solving,” he said.

‎He praised the school’s plans to establish a Sports, Performing Arts and Digital Learning Centre to support coding, robotics, machine learning and talent development, saying the initiative aligned with Kenya’s future economic direction. 

‎The President also paid tribute to notable alumni produced by the school over the decades, among them retired Justices Jackton Boma Ojwang’ and AB O’Kubasu, Senior Counsel Paul Muite and Senior Counsel Kamotho Waiganjo, as well as political leaders Moses Kuria and Samuel Njoroge. 

‎“To the students of Thika High School: You are heirs to a proud legacy,” Ruto said, urging learners to embrace discipline, hard work and innovation as they prepare to lead the country into the future.