Kenyan President William Ruto Announces Full Government Funding For All University and College Students.

Speaking at State House, Nairobi, on Tuesday, July 21, Ruto said the new funding model will take effect in September 2026, subject to Parliament approving the proposed amendments.

The President said the reforms are designed to make higher education accessible to all by ensuring that no qualified student misses out due to financial challenges. The new model will replace the current needs-based funding system.

“We have now worked on the university funding model—or, more broadly, the higher education funding model. Going forward, any student who has passed their examinations and has been placed in a college or university will receive full funding for their higher education,” Ruto said.

“It will be the choice of parents whether they want to contribute. If they choose not to, we now have a model through which the government will fully fund every child.”

Ruto emphasized that the new approach will guarantee equal access to higher education for all qualified students.

“The background of any child in Kenya will no longer matter. What will matter is how well they perform,” he said.

The President added that the government’s investment in education is aligned with its long-term development agenda, noting that countries such as South Korea and Japan achieved significant economic growth through sustained investment in education.

Under the education budget, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) has been allocated approximately KSh424 billion for teacher salaries and recruitment, up from KSh290 billion in 2022, to address teacher shortages and improve staffing levels in public schools.

Basic education has been allocated KSh136.6 billion, while higher education will receive about KSh163.9 billion. Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions have been allocated KSh58.5 billion.

The government has also increased funding for key education programmes. Free Primary Education will receive KSh7 billion, while Free Day Secondary Education has been allocated KSh54.6 billion.

Junior Secondary School (JSS) capitation has been set at KSh30.7 billion, bringing total capitation funding to KSh85.3 billion.

Additionally, KSh9.9 billion has been allocated to the Kenya National Examinations Council (KNEC) to support national assessments and examinations. A further KSh1.5 billion has been set aside to clear arrears owed to teachers who participated in examination marking.

School feeding programmes, which help improve learner retention in vulnerable regions, will receive KSh3 billion. Infrastructure development has also been prioritised, with KSh4.1 billion allocated for the construction and rehabilitation of schools, while KSh2.1 billion has been earmarked for TVET infrastructure.

Higher education students are also expected to benefit from increased financial support. The Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) has been allocated KSh56.3 billion, a significant increase from KSh15.39 billion in 2022. In addition, KSh30.9 billion has been allocated for university scholarships, while TVET student support will receive KSh9.2 billion.