Teachers have walked away from a meeting with President William Ruto at State House with a package of pledges ranging from pay and promotions to housing and medical cover, after the President assured them that his government favours dialogue over confrontation in resolving their grievances.
Ruto told the gathering that demonstrations were unnecessary when solutions could be achieved through structured talks. “I know there are many people who are not happy because there was no demonstration. But is there any reason for us to engage in the streets when we can engage at negotiation tables? There is absolutely no reason, and that is why there are people who are unhappy that this has happened without quarrels,” he said.
At the centre of the discussions was the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). The President confirmed that the government would respect all existing agreements and said room remained for adjustments. “I want to tell the teachers of Kenya that whatever it is that has been signed as a CBA, we will honour our part as the government. If there are any areas of improvement, we will look at them, and we can even go beyond what has been signed,” he assured.
Teachers had demanded that the review cycle for CBAs be shortened from four years to two, a proposal Ruto approved, directing the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), the Ministry of Education, and teacher leaders to jointly implement the change.
Funding for schools was also raised, with complaints over delays in releasing capitation funds and the mismatch between the school calendar and the government’s financial year. Ruto instructed the Education and Finance ministries to align their systems by December. He noted that the government currently allocates Sh1,400 per primary school pupil against the recommended Sh2,238, and Sh17,000 per secondary student instead of Sh22,000. “We must live up to what was recommended by the Presidential Working Party. We have a gap of almost Sh800 in primary and Sh5,000 in secondary schools. From the next financial year, we will reduce that gap by half and close it in the following year,” he pledged. He added that digitisation to eliminate ghost schools and learners could speed up bridging the gap.
The President further announced that from January 2026, learners pursuing arts and sports will receive direct capitation instead of being classified as extracurricular. “If there will be any gaps after we implement that, we will review and see what we can do,” he said.
On teacher employment, Ruto addressed concerns about graduates who have remained jobless for years, some nearing retirement without joining the profession. He directed that recruitment adopt a “first-out, first-in” approach to prioritise those who have waited longest. “Give me the financial implications so that I can have a proper response. If we have to do a Marshall Plan to get them in, then we will,” he said, promising a full response within 60 days.
Promotions also dominated the talks, with the TSC indicating that 151,000 teachers had been promoted over the past three years, though nearly half a million remain in service. Ruto ordered the doubling of promotion funds from Sh1 billion to Sh2 billion annually, enabling at least 50,000 teachers to move up each year. “We must move teachers up the ladder faster,” he said, while also calling for a review of costs for promoting head teachers currently stuck at Grade D1.
He declared the full removal of the controversial delocalisation policy and ordered an immediate review of Career Progression Guidelines. In addition, Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba was tasked to present Sessional Paper No.1 of 2025, which consolidates all agreed education reforms, to Parliament within 45 days.
National Assembly Education Committee chair Julius Melly pledged to support the establishment of Competency-Based Curriculum resource centres in every sub-county, saying, “We will use CDF resources to deliver these centres because we understand their importance.”
The teachers’ medical cover was another sticking point. Ruto admitted that the current scheme fell below market standards and lagged behind what civil servants receive. “We cannot continue with this medical coverage the way it is. We will review and make sure it is in tandem with what others are getting,” he said.
On housing, the President pointed out that teachers contribute 13 per cent, about Sh900 million monthly, to the housing levy. He announced that 20 per cent of affordable housing units will be allocated to teachers, with an MoU signed during the meeting between the Affordable Housing Board and teachers’ unions.
Closing the session, Ruto reiterated the central role of teachers in shaping Kenya’s future. “Education is at the heart of our nation’s progress, and teachers are its drivers. We must stand with you,” he said to loud applause.
