Kenya’s President, William Ruto, on Thursday returned to his alma mater, Kapsabet High School in Nandi County, as the institution celebrated its 100th anniversary, describing the visit as a deeply personal homecoming.
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Addressing students and guests at the centenary celebration, Ruto reflected on his time at the school more than four decades ago, noting that the institution played a major role in shaping his discipline, ambition and leadership journey.
“Kapsabet made me what I am today,” the president said, adding that the school laid the foundation for many of his life goals.
During the event, Ruto announced that the Kenyan government has set aside KSh765 billion for the education sector in the next financial year, the largest allocation ever made to education in the country. According to him, the funding is aimed at removing barriers to quality education and strengthening Kenya’s human capital development.
The president also revealed that government support for universities has significantly increased. Funding for universities has risen from KSh45 billion to KSh82 billion, while allocations for scholarships and the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) have increased from KSh17 billion to KSh41 billion, a move expected to stabilise public universities.
As part of his tour of Nandi County, Ruto also visited Kapsabet Girls High School where he attended a thanksgiving service celebrating the school’s strong performance in the 2025 Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations. He inspected the construction of a 1,000-bed capacity hostel at the institution and pledged continued government support for education infrastructure.
At St Joseph’s Chepterit Girls High School, the president commissioned a new dormitory and announced plans for additional projects including a 2,500-capacity hall, 30 classrooms, an administration block and 100 computers to boost digital learning. The expansion is expected to double the school’s enrolment from 1,600 students.
Ruto further stated that his administration has made progress in addressing teacher shortages, noting that 100,000 teachers have been employed over the past three years, moving closer to the government’s target of hiring 116,000 teachers.
Speaking to residents later in Kapsabet town, the president highlighted achievements in sectors such as agriculture, health, housing and youth employment. He said about 330,000 young people are currently earning income through digital work hubs established in Technical and Vocational Education and Training institutions across Kenya.
He added that the government’s Affordable Housing Programme has created 500,000 jobs, while about 540,000 Kenyans have secured employment abroad over the last three years.
Ruto also referenced the NYOTA programme, which provides young entrepreneurs with KSh50,000 in funding alongside training and mentorship, aimed at boosting youth-led businesses.
The president urged political leaders to focus on development rather than divisive politics and encouraged members of his party, the United Democratic Alliance, to participate in upcoming grassroots elections scheduled for Saturday. He said the exercise will allow more than five million party members to elect 20 officials in every polling centre nationwide.
EduTimes Africa, a product of Education Times Africa, is a magazine publication that aims to lend its support to close the yawning gap in Africa's educational development.