President William Ruto has directed chiefs, assistant chiefs, and provincial administration officials to ensure that all children still at home report to school tomorrow morning, January 23, 2026, emphasising that no student should be left out due to lack of school fees or uniforms.
Speaking during the NYOTA Capital disbursement at Kinoru Stadium, Meru County, the President said the government has taken concrete steps to ensure universal access to education, including employing 100,000 teachers, increasing the education budget from Sh500 billion to Sh700 billion, and building 23,000 new classrooms over the past three years.
“We are now undertaking the final transition in the Competence-Based Education framework, moving students from junior school to secondary school,” Ruto said, noting that Sh44 billion had been released before schools reopened to facilitate a smooth transition.
He stressed that children who already have a junior school uniform may temporarily use it in secondary school while waiting for their parents to provide a new one.
“No child should remain at home due to lack of a school uniform,” the President said.
“Let me repeat for all education stakeholders: no child should be left out of school because of school fees. Every child must be in school, as we have sent a capitation of Sh44 billion to support the education of all children.”
President Ruto’s directive comes as the extended Grade 10 admission window closed on Wednesday, with media reports showing hundreds of learners stranded due to financial constraints, even as the government pushes to enforce the 100 per cent transition policy.
The Ministry of Interior said the mop-up exercise has so far achieved a 70 per cent admission rate, even as some parents blamed the government for the situation.
Interior Cabinet Secretary Kipchumba Murkomen said there should be no justification for learners missing out on admission, citing the availability of bursaries and community resources.
“There should be no reason why, with the many bursaries and resources we have in the community, a child cannot transition. Even if they do not get their school of choice, perhaps a more expensive school, they should be able to transition to a neighbouring school,” said Murkomen.
According to the Ministry of Education, more than 930,000 students who sat the 2025 Kenya Junior Secondary Education Assessment (KJSEA) examinations had already reported to school, out of the 1.13 million learners who were registered as of Wednesday, January 21, 2025.
Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba noted that government teams have been deployed across the country to trace and follow up on students who are yet to report.
