Ruto Says Government Recruits 24,000 New Teachers To Start Work In 2026

President William Ruto has announced a plan to recruit 24,000 new teachers who are expected to report to classes later in January
President Ruto said the government has allocated KSh 44 billion for primary, primary and secondary schools before the new semester, while the remaining balance will be paid in the next two semesters.
However, Kiharu Member of Parliament Ndindi Nyoro has disputed the government’s claims, claiming that senior secondary schools are still owed billions from the 2025 academic year and that the latest payment largely paid off the previous debts.

President William Ruto He said the government is hiring 24,000 new teachers who will report to classes later in January.

President William Ruto held a meeting with Minister of Education Migos Ogamba and other leaders at the State House. Photo: William Ruto.
Source: Twitter

The move comes as his administration faces fierce criticism over billions in unpaid school fees.

The Head of State made the announcement on Tuesday after receiving a statement from the Minister of Education Migos Ogamba at the State House in Nairobi. He outlined the hiring, which brings the total number of jobs since 2023 to 100,000, as part of the transformational reform package.

Has the government sent grants to schools?

He further said that the government has provided KSh 44 billion for school grants.

“Our reforms in education are changing the delivery of learning and teaching. For the first time ever, we have paid KSh 44 billion in subsidies to primary, kindergarten and secondary schools before the institutions reopen this week. The remaining 30 percent and 20 percent will be paid in the next two terms, respectively. In addition, we have paid KSh 5.6 billion to publishers to ensure the distribution of textbooks to schools across the country,” President Ruto said via his social media pages.

How has the government been criticized for its spending priorities?

The announcement follows the forced reduction of the education budget and the delay in the provision of school funding. Although the government changed some of the plans, an analysis by Kiharu MP Ndindi Nyoro now shows that the much publicized recent grant is not enough.

Kiharu Member of Parliament Ndindi Nyoro, in his statement on January 6, 2026, provided data claiming a huge funding gap. He said that for Senior High Schools alone, the government owes a total of KSh 22.5 billion from the academic year of 2025.