NAIROBI, KENYA – President William Ruto’s third State of the Nation address, delivered to a joint session of Parliament on Thursday, November 20, 2025, presented a positive assessment of his administration's achievements but drew sharp criticism from education stakeholders for conspicuously omitting several urgent crises facing the sector. [8, 20] While the President highlighted investments in teacher recruitment and infrastructure, his silence on funding gaps and curriculum challenges has intensified concerns among parents, educators, and unions across Kenya. [8, 9, 13]

The Official Scorecard

In his 97-minute speech, President Ruto painted a picture of a stabilised and growing education system. [13] He reported that his administration has hired 76,000 teachers since taking office and pledged to recruit an additional 24,000 by January 2026, which would bring the total to 100,000 new educators in three years. [13, 18] The President also cited significant infrastructure development, noting a collaboration with the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) has delivered 23,000 new classrooms, with 1,600 science laboratories currently under construction to support the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). [11, 13] Furthermore, he pointed to the success of the new Student-Centred Funding Model, stating that nearly 500,000 university and TVET students have benefited from it. [11] Enrolment in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions has more than doubled, rising from 341,000 in 2022 to 718,000 in 2025. [18]

Critical Issues Left Unaddressed

Despite these figures, the address sidestepped the severe challenges that threaten to undermine the sector's stability. For the second consecutive year, the President failed to address the funding crisis crippling public schools. [8] The Free Day Secondary Education program's capitation has reportedly fallen from the stipulated KSh. 22,244 per student to approximately KSh. 15,192 this year. [8] This underfunding, coupled with persistent delays in disbursing these funds, paralysed many schools last term, forcing headteachers to accumulate debt with suppliers, charge parents illegal levies, or close early. [8] This situation persists even as the education sector received the largest share of the 2025/2026 national budget at KSh. 702.7 billion. [2, 6, 7]

The President’s figures on teacher recruitment also obscure a contentious reality. A significant portion of the 76,000 teachers hired are on controversial internship contracts, not permanent and pensionable terms. [8] This reliance on interns has been a major point of friction, leading to protests, court battles, and sustained pressure from unions for their confirmation. [8] The policy has failed to resolve the nation's chronic teacher shortage, which is estimated to be over 100,000 educators, with junior and senior secondary schools facing the most significant deficits. [10, 22, 25] The shortage is particularly acute in rural and arid regions, where many teachers refuse postings due to security and infrastructure challenges. [21]

Uncertainty Over CBC Transition

A glaring omission was the troubled rollout of the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), now rebranded as Competency-Based Education (CBE). [8, 17, 24] With the pioneer cohort set to transition to Senior School (Grade 10) in January 2026, parents and educators face growing anxiety over the lack of preparedness. [12, 17] Key concerns that went unmentioned include persistent infrastructure gaps, especially the lack of sufficient laboratories and ICT facilities required for STEM pathways. [3, 10, 12] Many teachers report feeling inadequately trained to implement the new methodologies, while parents decry the high cost of learning materials and projects. [3, 17, 26] The President’s speech offered no new assurances or strategic direction on how the government plans to navigate this pivotal and complex transition. [20]

Other critical issues ignored in the address include the status of the unresolved ‘ghost learners’ audit, which has implications for accurate capitation funding, and the fate of a new teachers' medical insurance scheme that unions have rejected over a lack of consultation and transparency. [8] The combination of these omissions has left many stakeholders feeling that the President’s optimistic report does not reflect the difficult reality on the ground. As teachers threaten potential industrial action in the new year, the administration’s education reform agenda faces a crucial test of its ability to address deep-seated structural problems beyond headline numbers. [8]