President William Ruto has announced plans to introduce new legislation to address challenges in higher education funding, assuring university, Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC), and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) students that they will not be sent home over unpaid fees from January 2027.
The proposed law, which he says will be completed by December 2026, is expected to support a new university funding model designed to ensure that students from low-income families can continue their studies without financial barriers.
Speaking during an Interdenominational Church Service at Nyamaiya Stadium, Nyamira County, on Sunday, Ruto said the government was working with Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba and the CEO of the Higher Education Loans Board, Geoffrey Monari, to address concerns surrounding education financing.
“We have also addressed issues surrounding education funding and liquidity. We have established a funding board in the education sector. We have also addressed the issue of university funding,” he said.
“We are now preparing a new law. We are ensuring that no Kenyan child attending university, KMTC or a TVET institution is sent home because their parents cannot afford to pay fees.”
The President said the legislation would be finalised before December, allowing the new arrangements to take effect in January.
He maintained that access to education should not depend on a family's financial position, arguing that all children should have an equal opportunity to pursue their studies.
“I said that all our children must have an opportunity to pursue education, whether they come from wealthy or poor families. Education must provide equal opportunities to children from rich and poor backgrounds,” he said.
Ruto also defended the government's record in the education sector, saying it had employed 100,000 teachers to address staffing shortages and constructed 23,000 classrooms across the country.
He acknowledged that the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC) had faced challenges but said the government had addressed them through the transition to Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET).
The President also announced several development projects in Nyamira County targeting infrastructure, healthcare and sports.
He said the government had allocated Sh1 billion the build an international stadium in Nyamira, which he expects to complete within a year.
“Nyamira has young people with talent, ability and the potential to contribute to our country through sports. That is why I have allocated Sh1 billion from the government to construct a stadium for the people of Nyamira County,” he said.
The head of State also announced plans to construct a Sh1.7 billion Level Five hospital, saying the facility would reduce the need for residents to travel to other counties to access specialised medical services.
He said the government would work with the county administration to implement the project, with construction expected to begin next year.
On roads, the President said 121 kilometres of tarmac roads were being constructed in Nyamira, adding that the government had directed contractors to resume stalled projects and replace those who had delayed works.
He said the government was also supporting the County Aggregation and Industrial Park, with Sh250 million already released and a further Sh150 million set aside for infrastructure and shared facilities.
Ruto's visit to the Gusii region also includes engagements in West and North Mugirango constituencies.
He is expected to commission a constituency digital hub and launch the upgrading of the Bondeni-Magombo Road in West Mugirango.
In North Mugirango, he is scheduled to launch the Tombe-Isinta-Mokomoni Road and preside over the groundbreaking ceremony for the proposed Magwagwa Stadium.
The projects form part of the government's development agenda in the region, which has increasingly become a political battleground ahead of the 2027 General Election.