The government has hired over 76,000 teachers within just two and a half years, in what Cabinet Secretary for Public Service, Human Capital Development, and Special Programmes Geoffrey Ruku has termed an unprecedented achievement.

Speaking during a public address in Mbeere North, Ruku credited the milestone to the leadership of President William Ruto, saying it reflects the government’s strong commitment to strengthening the education sector and addressing unemployment among trained professionals.

“The government of Kenya, under the leadership of President William Ruto, has employed over 76,000 teachers within a span of just two and a half years. This is an unprecedented achievement in the history of Kenya, as no other administration has ever employed such a large number of teachers within such a short period,” said Ruku.

He added that the bold move to absorb more teachers into the public system speaks to the administration’s recognition of education as a key driver of equity and national development. “There has never been another president who employed this number of teachers before. The president has done this because he values education, and it is the only equaliser we have—privileged and unprivileged,” Ruku emphasised.

Ruku further urged residents of Mbeere, one of Kenya’s marginalised regions, to remain patient and support the administration’s ongoing reforms.

“I want to urge us as the Mbeere community, which is among the marginalised communities, that we give the president time, as he has been considerate in education matters,” he said.

The CS’s remarks come amid heightened political tension across the country, marked by nationwide protests and calls for reforms. Addressing the unrest, Ruku accused some opposition leaders of politicising development efforts and inciting chaos.

“Some of these people no longer need development; that’s why they want to burn the country in the name of protests,” he said, defending the government’s approach and linking the mass teacher recruitment to a broader public service agenda.

The employment of 76,000 teachers aligns with President Ruto’s push to enhance human capital development and improve service delivery in underserved areas. It also coincides with reforms in education policy, public service digitisation, and international labour agreements.

As classrooms across the country absorb new teaching staff, education stakeholders will be keenly watching how this injection affects learner outcomes, teacher-to-student ratios, and overall quality of education—particularly in rural and marginalised communities like Mbeere.