President William Ruto has firmly reiterated his government’s commitment to free basic education, countering recent controversial remarks by Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi that sparked national uproar.
Speaking during a public address on Sunday, Ruto assured Kenyans that “Free Primary Education is not going anywhere.”
In what appeared to be a direct rebuttal to Mbadi, Ruto emphasized that education remains a non-negotiable priority for his administration:
“We have hired 76,000 teachers in two years and plan to employ 24,000 more next year. Education cannot be compromised.”
Ruto highlighted key milestones in his education agenda, including the construction of 23,000 classrooms nationwide and an allocation of KSh 1 billion specifically for new classrooms in Nairobi.
He also referenced the revised university funding model, which is designed to enhance access and quality at the tertiary level.
On teacher welfare, the President touted a new CBA deal running until 2029, which includes a salary increment ranging from 6% to 29%.
The assurance follows Treasury CS Mbadi’s controversial statement before Parliament, where he claimed that Kenya could no longer sustainably fund free education, and suggested that parents might have to contribute more going forward.
Mbadi insisted that the government’s current fiscal muscle cannot support full capitation of KSh 22,000 per secondary school learner, despite disbursing the entire budgeted amount.
Mbadi also accused MPs of hypocrisy, stating:
“They ask me why I haven’t given KSh 22,000 per student, yet they themselves slashed the capitation in the latest budget.”
He proposed redirecting CDF bursaries to fill the KSh 5,000 per learner deficit, a suggestion likely to face political resistance.
