Deputy President Kithure Kindiki has defended the government’s handling of the education sector, arguing that years of investment in schools, teachers and student support are beginning to show results, even as many Kenyan families struggle with the rising cost of living.
Speaking during commissioning of Geturi School in Mosocho, Kitutu Chache North Constituency, Kisii County, Prof Kindiki described education as the backbone of the country’s development agenda. He pointed to the construction of classrooms, recruitment of teachers and expansion of learning programmes as signs that the government was trying to close long-standing gaps in the sector.
“We are investing heavily in education because it is the foundation of the country’s future,” he said. “More resources will continue to be directed towards improving schools and supporting learners.”
His remarks come at a difficult moment for many households. Across the country, parents are grappling with higher food prices, transport costs and school-related expenses, placing fresh pressure on family budgets. Education, once viewed as the clearest path to opportunity, has increasingly become a financial strain for low and middle-income families alike.
Prof Kindiki maintained that the administration remained committed to making education accessible to every child, regardless of background. He said the government was working to ease teacher shortages, improve digital learning and strengthen technical and vocational institutions to better prepare young people for employment.
The Deputy President also defended continued funding for programmes aimed at reducing the burden on parents, saying the long-term goal was to create a more inclusive and competitive education system.
His comments reflect the government’s broader effort to reassure the public that spending on education remains a priority despite economic pressures and competing demands on the national budget.
Still, critics and education stakeholders have continued to raise concerns over the pace of reforms and the cost of schooling. Teachers’ unions and parents’ groups have in recent months warned that many schools remain underfunded, while some families are struggling to keep children in class amid tough economic conditions.
Even so, education remains central to the government’s political message. Officials insist that improving schools, training teachers and expanding access to learning opportunities are necessary steps if Kenya hopes to create jobs and reduce inequality in the years ahead.
For many parents, however, the debate is less about policy promises and more about daily survival balancing the hope of a better future for their children against the immediate reality of rising expenses.
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