Ruto: Kenya has increased education funding by nearly Ksh129B
By Joel Masibo, November 4, 2025President William Ruto has revealed that Kenya has increased its education funding by nearly Ksh129 billion to ensure every child in the country gets basic education.
Speaking during an education forum on the sidelines of the Second World Summit for Social Development, in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, Ruto also noted that education models should be focused on re-imagining learning to end poverty, create decent work, promote inclusion, and seize opportunities in the digital age.
Increased education funding
”In Kenya, we have reformed our curriculum to a competency-based model, recruited more teachers to close the staffing gap, and increased education funding by nearly one billion dollars to ensure every child has the opportunity to thrive,” President William Ruto said.
The Head of State further urged all stakeholders to invest their effort and resources in education to eradicate poverty.
”We call on all stakeholders to invest resources, action, and effort in realising every commitment of the Declaration, especially on education, which is closely linked with poverty eradication, decent work, and social inclusion. Education must build competence, drive innovation, and create employment by connecting learning with technology and enterprise.” Ruto said.
Resolving lecturers’ strike
Meanwhile, the President’s remarks come amid the government’s commitment to ending the ongoing Universities Academic Staff Union (UASU) and the Kenya Universities Staff Union (KUSU) strike regarding the implementation of the 2017–2021 Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) by clearing the outstanding debt of Ksh7.76 billion in a phased disbursement plan of over three years.
Appearing before the National Assembly Departmental Committee on Education at the National Assembly on Tuesday, November 4, 2025, the National Treasury Cabinet Secretary, John Mbadi, made submissions on a petition by UASU and KUSU regarding the pending money that has paralysed learning in all public universities and colleges for weeks.
In his submission, the CS informed the Committee that the government has so far provided Ksh8.6 billion toward the implementation of the particular CBA, comprising Ksh6.6 billion in the financial year 2019/20 and Ksh2.0 billion in the financial year 2021/22.
”To settle the outstanding Ksh7.76 billion, the State Department for Higher Education has proposed a phased disbursement plan over three years, to which the National Treasury has concurred,” a statement of the National Treasury and Economic Planning read in part on Tuesday, November 4, 2025.