By Issa Hussein - Reporter
1 June 2026 - President William Ruto has directed the Ministry of Education to develop a framework for integrating Duksi, Madrassa and pastoralist learning programmes into Kenya’s formal education system, in a move aimed at expanding access to education in marginalised regions.
Speaking during the 63rd Madaraka Day celebrations in Wajir on Sunday, the President said thousands of children in northern Kenya and other underserved areas remain outside the formal education system because alternative learning pathways are not adequately recognised.
“This challenge is particularly evident in the absence of a clear framework to recognise and integrate Duksi, Madrassa and the Programme for Pastoral Instruction into the national education system,” said Mr Ruto.
He directed Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba to engage stakeholders and recommend measures under the Basic Education Act to formally accommodate the programmes.
The President said the reforms would ensure that every child, regardless of background, has a recognised pathway to education, skills development and employment opportunities.
The announcement formed part of a broader education agenda outlined by the Head of State, who described education as the most critical investment in northern Kenya and the foundation of the country's future economic transformation.
“Of all the investments we are making in Northern Kenya, none is more important than education,” he said, noting that this year’s Madaraka Day theme was “Education, Skills and the Future.”
Mr Ruto defended the Competency-Based Education and Training (CBET) system, saying it is shifting learning from examination performance to the acquisition of practical skills, critical thinking and innovation.
He revealed that 52% of learners in the first Grade 10 cohort have opted for the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) pathway, which he said signals growing interest in fields critical to industrialisation and technological advancement.
To support the sector, the President said the education budget has increased from KSh 500 billion in 2022 to more than KSh 702 billion this year.
He added that the government has recruited more than 100,000 teachers over the last three years and plans to hire an additional 20,000 this year.
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Mr Ruto highlighted efforts to address chronic teacher shortages in northern Kenya through an affirmative action programme that has seen the operationalisation of Wajir, Kotulo and Mandera Teachers Training Colleges alongside Garissa TTC.
According to the President, 1,800 locally trained teachers from Wajir, Garissa and Mandera have been employed and will be deployed within the region.
He also said 4,616 students from the three counties are currently enrolled in teacher training colleges, the highest number ever recorded.
On infrastructure, the President said the government has constructed 23,000 classrooms countrywide and is building 1,600 laboratories, many of them in arid and semi-arid areas.
He further noted that more than 850,000 students are currently enrolled in Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) institutions.
To improve school attendance in drought-prone areas, Mr Ruto said government-supported school feeding programmes are benefiting 2.4 million learners across arid regions.
He reiterated the government's commitment to ensuring that no child is denied access to education because of geography or historical marginalisation.
“No child will be denied the opportunity to learn because of geography or historical neglect,” he said.
“Every child deserves a door into learning. It is our duty to open every door.” he added.
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