Kenya has hired 24,000 more teachers to address current acute staffing deficit that has dogged public schools in the past three years that has at times been the cause of frequent industrial actions by more than 340,000 members of the Kenyan National Union of Teachers (KNUT) and Kenya Union of Post Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET).

 President William Ruto made the announcement in Nyeri, central Kenya, on Monday.

However the figure announced by the government falls far short of the estimated 98,261 teachers trade unions and government agency, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC), say was the shortfall at the beginning of school calendar in 2026.

Speaking at Kabiruini grounds in Nyeri, President Ruto said the additional teachers will ensure no learner in the country misses out on education due to shortage of tutors.

The government has also raised budget allocation to the ministry of education from Ksh500 billion ($3,9 billion) during the last financial year to Ksh702 billion ($5.5 billion) in the current fiscal year to address ongoing transition from the defunct 8-4-4 system to the Competency-Based Education (CBE) curriculum.

“We have taken concrete steps in reforming our education sector. The Competency Based Education curriculum has been reformed and all teachers and stakeholders understand fully how the transition works. This year, we have finalised the transition from junior school for the first cohort to senior school or Grade 10. We have enhanced the money for our education from Ksh500 billion to Ksh702 billion this year because education is important. It is the single biggest empowerment you can give the young people,” said Dr Ruto during the National Youth Opportunities Towards Advancement (NYOTA start-up capital forum

A total of 6,000 youth drawn from Nyeri, Nyandarua, Kirinyaga and Murang’a received Ksh25,000 each under the NYOTA business support segment. The president termed the programme an ideal game changer in addressing the plight of unemployed young people in the country as it offers them   alternative ways of earning a livelihood.

He said a country’s growth is evaluated on how it empowers its citizenry to become self-reliant and insisted that Kenya’s road to greatness can only be attained by tapping on the potential of her human capital.

“Kenya must tap into its human capital for us to join the league of developed nations. The largest asset we have as a country is our human capital. It is more important than gold or currency. The only resource we have in Kenya are the Kenyans themselves. We must invest in them, “he pointed out.

He stated that the NYOTA programme remains one of the broad-based strategies the government was employing in addressing the challenges affecting young people besides the Affordable Housing Programme, Hustler Fund and the Digital Superhighway and the Creative Economy.

Ruto said the government is targeting a total of 820,000 young people under the NYOTA programme and urged young people to take advantage of the opportunity as one way of building a solid economic base for their future.

In addition, the president said the government is planning to enlist 110,000 young Kenyans who do not possess formal education and enrol them in craft courses that can empower them in setting up their own businesses. At least 20,000 of the beneficiaries will also receive Ksh6,000 stipend every month to help cater for their basic expenses such as transport costs while attending classes in the designated institutions of training.

“As a country we cannot sit back and wait for jobs to sprout from nowhere. We must have a plan as a country without waiting for miracles to happen. We must create jobs for ourselves and create avenues on how our youth can access these opportunities including for those with less formal education,” added the Head of State.

NYOTA is a five-year Government of Kenya and World Bank initiative geared towards improving youth employability by creating employment opportunities through programs like apprenticeships, fostering entrepreneurship, social enterprises and expanding financial security.

It has been billed as the largest job creation hub targeting young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and vulnerable youths at the bottom of the economic pyramid. The program is targeting 820,000 vulnerable and unemployed youth in 1,450 wards spread out in all 47 counties.

Eligible applicants should be aged between 18-29 years but for people with disability the age limit has been set at 35. The program is structured on three main pillars the first one being on-the-job experience where 90,000 youths will be placed with employers and artisans to gain work experience.

The second component of the program which is dubbed Recognition of Prior Learning will allow youth to receive formal acknowledgement for the skills and work experience they already acquired through informal training.

Under the third component of business support, the government is targeting to extend start-up capital of up to Ksh50,000 to 100,000 to start up a business. Similarly, under this component, some 600,000 will also be trained on how to win government tenders.

Also present during the ceremony included Deputy President Kindiki Kithure, cabinet secretaries Salim Mvurya (Sports), Dr Alfred Mutua (Labour), Governors Dr Mutahi Kahiga, Dr Kairie Badilisha (Nyandarua) and Kikuyu lawmaker Kimani Ichung’wa among other dignitaries.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Samuel Maina and Wangari Mwangi