Wajir: The government will integrate madrasa, duksi, and pastoral learning programs into the formal basic education system following a directive by President William Ruto aimed at expanding equitable access to education for children in marginalized communities. The President stated that a clear legal and policy framework will be developed under the Basic Education Act to recognize alternative learning pathways that have historically operated outside the formal education system.
According to Kenya News Agency, President Ruto made this announcement during the 63rd Madaraka Day celebrations held in Wajir County. He noted that the absence of an official framework for these systems had disadvantaged many children, particularly in northern Kenya. The President directed the Cabinet Secretary for Education to engage stakeholders and recommend appropriate measures for implementation to ensure that every child has a recognized pathway into learning, skills, and opportunity.
The move is part of broader government efforts to promote inclusion and address historical inequalities in education access. President Ruto emphasized that education is central to national development, highlighting that government investment in the sector has increased significantly, with the education budget rising from Sh500 billion in 2022 to more than Sh702 billion currently.
Over the past three years, more than 100,000 teachers have been recruited, with an additional 20,000 expected to be employed. Affirmative action programs are being implemented to address teacher shortages in northern Kenya, including the operationalization of teacher training colleges in Wajir, Kutulo, and Mandera. A record 1,800 local teachers from Wajir, Mandera, and Garissa counties have been employed and will be deployed in the region, and 4,616 students from the area are currently enrolled in teacher training colleges.
President Ruto stated that the government’s development agenda seeks to ensure equitable growth across all regions, with northern Kenya playing a central role in the country’s economic transformation. He reiterated that no child or county is too remote to deserve opportunity and development.
