President Ruto Reaffirms Commitment to Free, Quality Education Amid Budget Deficits

President William Ruto on Sunday defended his government’s track record on education, insisting that every child in Kenya deserves access to free, quality learning regardless of their background.

While attending a church service at ACK St. Martin’s Light Industries Church in Kariobangi, Nairobi, Ruto called education “the greatest gift a society can give to its young people,” and reaffirmed his administration’s ongoing efforts to expand education access.

“Free primary education is not a privilege it’s a right,” the president said. “Over the past two years, we’ve taken concrete steps to ensure that promise becomes a reality for every Kenyan child.”

Among the initiatives President Ruto highlighted are; construction of new classrooms in overcrowded urban schools, hiring of over 70,000 teachers, and plans to bring in an additional 24,000 teachers by early next year.

He also pointed out a new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) signed with teachers that will work until 2029, a move he said is intended to stabilise the sector and avoid disruptive strikes.

“We are determined to make education accessible, inclusive, and of high quality,” he said. “We will not compromise on that.”

Ruto’s reassurance came just a day after his deputy, Kithure Kindiki, also weighed in, dismissing speculation that the government plans to scale back free education. Kindiki insisted that the Kenya Kwanza administration is increasing funding, not slashing it.

But those assurances have been tested by recent comments from Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi.

Appearing before Parliament last week, Mbadi struck a different tone, warning that the government can no longer fully fund free primary and secondary education due to mounting financial constraints.

“This is the financial reality we’re dealing with, we must be honest about what is sustainable," he said.

As uncertainty continues to be cast over free education’s future in Kenya, parents, students, and teachers all will be holding their collective breath, hoping that government promises become long-term support in the classrooms where it is most needed.