Gov’t to ensure free primary, secondary education

President Uhuru Kenyatta has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to ensuring primary and secondary school education is free in the country within the next five years.

Speaking during a Sunday service at Bishop Gatimu Ngandu Girls in Mathira, the Head of State at the same time told Nyeri leaders to shun petty politics and instead focus on developing the county.

President Kenyatta said the Government would continue investing more resources in education to create equality among all Kenyans.

He added that education is the best tool to equip citizens with skills and knowledge to compete on the same level, adding that the government would continue increasing budgetary allocations to secondary schools to achieve the goal of completely free secondary education within the next five years.

“My dream is to ensure that we get to a stage within the next five years where we have totally free education both at secondary and primary schools,” said the president. “No parent should dig into his or her pockets to educate children and we will achieve that objective soon.”

The president said budgetary allocations to schools, referred to as ‘capitation’, will be increased gradually until it pays for all the fees of each student.

He also used the occasion to underscore the important role women play in Kenya.

President Kenyatta said some of the biggest achievements by the government have been championed by women and called on the girls to work hard with the knowledge that Kenya is ready for women in bigger roles.

Speaking at Kiamarira en route to Sagana State Lodge, the president further pledged to resettle the 2,000 squatters from Nyeri County, further vowing to address other issues affecting the region.

Uhuru, who has been in the Central Kenya region since Wednesday, has held meetings with local leaders on a roadmap to drive the economy of the region.

He hosted some 2,500 leaders from the five counties of Central Kenya joined by others from Laikipia and Nakuru to discuss roadmaps for development.

The president held a subsequent meeting with a group of 500 Nyeri leaders with a promise to come back to the region to visit other counties.

He also announced that the government would put in place measures to boost the economy, first on the list being the revival of the coffee sector.

President Kenyatta is expected to form a committee that will look into the woes that have bedeviled the business and come up with recommendations to make the cash crop profitable again.

He also announced that the war against illegal alcohol would be renewed with an assurance that no efforts will be spared to bring the menace to an end.