By James Murimi - Reporter
Kenya, June 28, 2026 - President William Ruto has attributed the recent wave of unrest in schools to the gradual abandonment of traditional African parenting, urging parents and communities to reclaim their collective role in raising disciplined and responsible children.
Speaking during the 60th anniversary celebrations of Burieruri Boys Senior School in Maua, Meru County, on Sunday, the President said the country's education system would only succeed if it was anchored on strong values and character.
"Let us recover the wisdom of African parenting, where no child belonged to one household alone, but to the whole community; where every elder was a guardian and every child a shared responsibility," President Ruto said.
He added: "That wisdom has never ceased to matter. Indeed, we need it now more than ever. Let us stand around our children so that none of them walks life's hardest journeys alone."
His remarks come amid growing concern over sporadic cases of student unrest reported in schools across the country.
While praising Burieruri Boys Senior School for maintaining discipline over the years, President Ruto cautioned that academic excellence alone could not guarantee the country's future.
"A nation may build magnificent schools, but if it neglects character, it builds its future on sand," he said.
He continued: "Knowledge may sharpen the mind, but only discipline governs its use. Talent without discipline is wasted. Freedom without discipline descends into disorder."
The Head of State appealed to parents to become more involved in their children's lives by listening to them, understanding their struggles and guiding them through every stage of their education.
He insisted that rebuilding discipline was a shared responsibility between parents, teachers, religious leaders and the wider community.
Beyond the call for discipline, President Ruto announced major investments aimed at expanding learning infrastructure at Burieruri Boys Senior School.
He said he and his friends would raise KSh40 million to construct 30 modern classrooms at the school and another KSh20 million for 20 classrooms at the neighbouring Ncunguru Primary School.
In addition, he directed the Ministry of Education to construct a KSh70 million multipurpose hall at Burieruri Boys as part of plans to elevate it to national school status.
The President maintained that every child deserved equal opportunities regardless of where they studied.
"Government treats every school equally—not because of its fame, age or the prominence of its alumni—but because every Kenyan child deserves quality education," he said.
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He added: "That is why I will keep visiting schools across our country because no institution is too small to matter, and no child is too far away to deserve the full attention of their President and their Government."
President Ruto also unveiled a series of development projects for Meru County, saying the region remained central to his administration's development agenda.
He announced that KSh20 billion had been committed to affordable housing projects in the county, including 2,000 housing units for teachers, 17 modern markets and 6,000 hostels for students in universities, technical colleges and Kenya Medical Training Colleges.
The President further disclosed that KSh8 billion had been allocated for road construction in Meru during the 2026/27 financial year.
He said compensation for landowners affected by the KSh7 billion Nithi Bridge project had been completed, paving the way for construction to begin.
In addition, 23,000 households will be connected to electricity through a KSh2.3 billion programme, while KSh1 billion has been allocated for the completion of Meru Level 6 Hospital, which the national government will equip once complete.
President Ruto also directed the Meru County Commissioner to engage the contractor handling the Maua Stadium project and ensure construction starts without further delay.
Addressing criticism over his frequent tours across the country, the President defended the visits, saying they were part of his constitutional duty.
"I am not a king, but a President elected by the people of Kenya. I must therefore serve them by visiting and hearing from them," he said.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki said the Kenya Kwanza administration had demonstrated its commitment to education by steadily increasing funding for the sector.
He said the education budget had grown from KSh526 billion in 2022 to KSh784 billion in the next financial year.
Meru Governor Mutuma M'Ethingia thanked President Ruto for implementing development projects in the county, saying residents had witnessed tangible progress under the current administration and would reciprocate at the ballot.