President William Ruto has underscored the importance of education as the most critical investment in Northern Kenya, announcing plans to construct a university in Wajir County.
Speaking Monday in Wajir during the Madaraka Day celebrations, President Ruto said education remains the powerful tool in tackling poverty and tackling inequality, noting, “of all the tools a nation possesses, education is the most potent. It is the bridge between promise and possibility. Between poverty and prosperity. Between exclusion and belonging.”
The Head of State noted that Kenya’s liberation will not be fought on conventional battlefields, but will be won in the classrooms, laboratories, workshops, and innovation hubs.
He highlighted how nation’s leading the world today earned their position citing South Korea, which invested in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education and became a technology powerhouse.
Similarly, Ruto highlighted Singapore’s investment in human capital saying the country turned its people into the greatest national resource while Finland built a knowledge economy through sustained investment in learning.
He remarked that Kenya is moving in the same direction through the Competency Based Education (CBC) and Training system which he says is transforming what learning means in Kenya.
“It is equipping our children not merely to pass examinations, but to think critically, solve problems, innovate, and compete on the global stage. It is designed around a simple but powerful belief: every child has unique abilities and talents worth discovering, nurturing, and unleashing, ” said Ruto.
Ruto expressed optimism in the uptake of science and technology related subjects noting that : “What particularly encourages me is that 52% of learners in the first-ever Grade 10 cohort have chosen the STEM pathway. This tells us that a new generation is rising, one that will drive Kenya’s industrial transformation, power our technological advancement, and build the innovation economy that will define our nation’s next chapter.”
Inclusion in education
In a move aimed at enhancing inclusivity in education, President Ruto directed the Cabinet Secretary for Education Julius Ogamba to engage all relevant stakeholders and take the necessary measures under the Basic Education Act, to consult widely and recommend appropriate measures for the formal integration of alternative learning pathways like Duksi, Madrassa.
This he said will ensure that every child, regardless of background or circumstance, has a recognised pathway into learning, skills, and opportunity.
“Every child deserves a door into learning. It is our duty to open every door. Yet opening the door to opportunity is only part of the journey. Inclusion must also mean access to quality healthcare, dignity, and well-being for every citizen,” Ruto noted.
Further, he directed local leaders and the county government to identify a large parcel of land for the construction of a university in the county.
