NAIROBI, Kenya, July 28 – President William Ruto has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to sustaining free primary and secondary education, even as concerns mount over budgetary constraints and reduced capitation to public schools.Speaking during a church service in Kariobangi, the Head of State described education as a “non-negotiable constitutional right” and emphasized that every Kenyan child deserves access to affordable and quality learning regardless of economic or geographic barriers.“Free education both primary and secondary is not just a promise, it is a constitutional right. Our commitment is that education must be universal, accessible, affordable, and of good quality,” President Ruto said.His remarks come against the backdrop of mounting pressure from school heads and education stakeholders who have raised alarm over delays and significant cuts in capitation funds. In the current fiscal year, capitation per student in secondary schools was reduced from Sh22,244 to Sh17,000, forcing schools to operate under tighter budgets and in some cases pass extra costs onto parents.According to current policy, the government is expected to allocate Sh22,000 per year for every student in public day secondary schools, Sh15,000 for junior secondary students, and Sh1,400 for those in primary school.However, National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi admitted that the Treasury has never fully met the Sh22,000 per-student target.Despite these challenges, the President insisted that the government is working to safeguard the integrity of free education through targeted investments aimed at expanding capacity and improving learning outcomes.He said that in the last two years, the government has constructed over 23,000 new classrooms, with a special Sh1 billion allocation to Nairobi to address severe congestion in city schools.“In Nairobi, we faced a real challenge where classroom shortages were keeping many children out of school. That is no longer the case we are bridging that gap,” Ruto said.On higher education, the President cited the rollout of anew university funding model aimed at ensuring that no student is denied admission due to inability to pay.At the basic education level, he highlighted the employment of 76,000 new teachers since 2022, with a pledge to hire an additional 24,000 by January 2026 to address staffing shortages and reduce pupil-to-teacher ratios.President Ruto disclosed that the government had also signed a long-term Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with teachers’ unions KNUT and KUPPET to avoid strikes and ensure classroom stability.As part of the agreement, teachers received pay raises ranging from 6% to nearly 29%,depending on their grades and responsibilities.Ruto acknowledged the budget pressures affecting the education sector but said the solution lay in prudent management and long-term planning rather than rolling back free education.“As part of that agreement. So, I just want to assure you that education is non-negotiable. We cannot compromise on access. We cannot compromise quality. We cannot compromise affordability, and we cannot compromise relevance,” he stated.He also thanked faith-based organizations for partnering with government to run schools and support learning across the country, noting that religious institutions have historically been central to Kenya’s education system.“We will continue working with churches and other religious groups to ensure education is well managed, relevant, and truly national in reach,” President Ruto noted.Treasury standNational Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi has blamed Parliament for the persistent under-funding of school capitation, accusing lawmakers of approving education budgets that fall short of what is required to fully support learners.Speaking at a thanksgiving ceremony in Suba South on Friday, Mbadi dismissed claims that the government had failed to disburse capitation funds, insisting that the Treasury had released all the money allocated in the approved budget. The problem, he said, lies in the inadequacy of the allocations themselves.“We disbursed the entire amount allocated in the budget, but it’s still not enough. What I confirmed yesterday is that yes, we’ve given out what was budgeted—but that doesn’t mean it meets the actual need. We cannot give every child in Kenya the Sh22,000 required,” Mbadi said. “If you divide the current budget by the number of secondary school students, it comes to about Sh17,000 per learner. That’s the reality even during President Uhuru Kenyatta’s administration,” he added.The Treasury boss criticized MPs for demanding full capitation while cutting proposed allocations during budget deliberations.“In fact, Parliament reduced the capitation we had proposed in the latest budget. Once the budget is passed, where do I get the extra money to pay the full Sh22,000?” he posed.“Whatever is allocated is paid in full. First and second terms have been settled. We are now preparing to pay for third term but again, the money isn’t enough.”Mbadi said school principals often complain about incomplete capitation disbursements because the total budget has never matched the policy target.“That’s why you hear them say they haven’t received full capitation. The government has always released what was allocated but it’s never enough,” he explained.To bridge the gap, Mbadi proposed repurposing part of the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF), suggesting that a portion of its Sh21 billion bursary allocation be used to supplement capitation.