President William Ruto has said the Government will release capitation funds to schools before they reopen each term, starting in 2027. He also announced that comprehensive schools will be given a firm legal footing.
The President spoke at the close of the Kenya Comprehensive School Heads Association (KECSHA) Conference at the Sheikh Zayed Children Welfare Centre in Mombasa, which brought together more than 15,000 school heads.
Basic Education Act to be amended
The President said the Ministry of Education will present proposals to amend the Basic Education Act within 90 days. The amendments are meant to strengthen governance, staffing and financing, including for comprehensive schools.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Migos Ogamba said reform Bills approved by Cabinet are already before Parliament. Once passed, they will define the structure of the education system and reduce duplication between agencies. “These Bills are designed to build a strong foundation for the transformation of our education system,” he said. He added that education has taken nearly 30 per cent of the national budget for four years.
Teacher recruitment and promotions
President Ruto said 100,000 teachers have been recruited in the last four years, with another 20,000 set to join in December. He added that 50,000 teachers will be promoted in the current Financial Year.
He said the Salaries and Remuneration Commission (SRC) approved new Career Progression Guidelines two days ago, backed by Sh4 billion. Teachers will also be allocated 20 per cent of Affordable Housing Units and will have Social Health Authority (SHA) medical cover.
Infrastructure and capitation
The Government has built 23,000 classrooms and is delivering 1,600 laboratories, the President said. Senior School capitation has risen from Sh17,000 to Sh22,000, and more than Sh86 billion has been released ahead of this year’s terms.
He set a goal that every child should be able to read, write and count by the end of Grade 3 by 2030.
Teachers’ reaction
Kenya National Union of Teachers (KNUT) Secretary-General Collins Oyuu praised the Government for hiring more teachers than any previous administration, and for investing in promotions and releasing capitation on time.
Teachers at the conference said the changes would ease workloads and open up career growth. Alfred Ouma Omollo from Nyatika North in Migori County said the new guidelines will benefit classroom teachers and not only those in administrative posts. Mbelita Mbuvi, a teacher in Ngoliba, Yatta, Machakos County, said new recruits have lightened workloads, and she welcomed the focus on comprehensive schools, which handle learners from PP1 to Grade 9.
Fredrick Thembo, head of Obago Comprehensive School in Kisumu, said teachers have been promised promotion from job group C5 to D1 next year. He also said capitation for primary and comprehensive schools will now be sent in one payment rather than in instalments. Read also 2027 Co-curricular Activities Calendar: Term 1 and Term 2 Games, Music Festival and Science Fair Dates.