NANDI, Kenya, Mar 12 — William Ruto returned to his former school, Kapsabet High School, on Thursday as the institution celebrated 100 years of continuous teaching and learning, describing the occasion as a personal homecoming.
The President reflected on his time at the school more than four decades ago, saying it shaped his values of discipline, hard work, and ambition.
“Kapsabet made me what I am today,” he said, noting that the school laid the foundation for his dreams and leadership journey.
Quoting Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, Ruto told students that success often becomes clear only when looking back at one’s journey.
“You cannot connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards and trust that they will somehow connect in your future,” the President said.
During the centenary event, President Ruto announced that the government has allocated Sh765 billion to the education sector in the next financial year, the highest budgetary allocation ever for education in Kenya.
He said the funding aims to eliminate barriers that prevent learners from accessing quality education and to strengthen the country’s human capital.
“We want every student to have the opportunity to learn and dream,” he said.
The President also revealed that university capitation has increased from Sh45 billion to Sh82 billion, while funding for scholarships and the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has risen from Sh17 billion to Sh41 billion, helping stabilise public universities.
During his tour in Nandi County, the President also visited Kapsabet Girls High School for a thanksgiving service celebrating the school’s excellent performance in the 2025 KCSE examinations.
He inspected the construction of a 1,000-bed capacity hostel at the school and pledged continued support for education infrastructure.
At St Joseph’s Chepterit Girls High School, the President commissioned a new dormitory and announced plans to build additional facilities including a 2,500-capacity hall, 30 new classrooms, an administration block and 100 computers to support digital learning.
The expansion will help double the school’s intake from the current 1,600 students.
President Ruto said the government has made progress in addressing teacher shortages by hiring 100,000 teachers in the past three years, moving closer to the administration’s pledge to employ 116,000 teachers.
“This is part of our commitment to ensure that our education system has the personnel needed to deliver quality learning,” he said.
Later, addressing residents in Kapsabet town, Ruto highlighted progress in sectors including education, agriculture, health, housing, and sports infrastructure.
He said 330,000 young people are currently earning income through digital work at hubs established in TVET colleges across the country.
In addition, the Affordable Housing Programme has created 500,000 jobs, while 540,000 Kenyans have secured employment abroad over the past three years.
The President also cited the NYOTA programme, which provides young entrepreneurs with Sh50,000 in business support, training, and mentorship.
Ruto challenged his critics to present their development record, arguing that Kenyans are increasingly focused on service delivery rather than political rhetoric.
“Those who served for five, ten or forty years should be ready to tell Kenyans what they have done,” he said.
He urged political leaders to avoid divisive politics and focus on creating opportunities and building infrastructure.
The President also called on members of the United Democratic Alliance to participate in the party’s grassroots elections scheduled for Saturday.
He said the party aims to facilitate more than five million members to elect 20 officials in every polling centre as part of efforts to strengthen the party’s structure nationwide.
Ruto made the remarks while addressing residents at Chepterit and Namgoi shopping centres in Nandi County.