President William Ruto has reiterated that every university student in Kenya will eventually receive full government funding under an improved higher education financing model.
Speaking during the Huawei ICT Awards at State House, Nairobi, on Tuesday, the president said the government would not allow a learner’s financial background to limit access to education. He said officials were working with university vice chancellors to refine the current student-centered funding approach and ensure that every student receives full support.
Ruto said the reforms draw on the financial crisis his administration inherited in public universities, where some institutions struggled to pay lecturers and suppliers. He told the audience that the problem was severe when he took office.
“I have sat down with these vice chancellors and the leadership of our universities. When I came into office, we had a real challenge. Many of our universities faced very dire situations. Many could not even pay lecturers or their suppliers,” he said.
The president added that while the existing funding model has already achieved notable progress, his administration would move to a stronger framework to guarantee full financial support for all university students.
“We’ve made very good progress with our new student-centered funding model, and we will be engaging our vice chancellors as we now progress to an even better funding model that will make sure every student has full funding for their education. That is the commitment I have made,” he said.
President William Ruto first unveiled the proposed 100% higher education funding plan during an address at State House on July 21, 2026. He reiterated the commitment during Tuesday’s Huawei ICT Awards, as he responded to concerns about the program’s cost.
Ruto defended the investment and said education remains the country’s most valuable asset. He argued that the long-term cost of failing to educate would far outweigh the cost of funding it, adding that ignorance proves more expensive.
“If you think education is expensive, try ignorance, and you will know which one is more expensive,” he said.
The president said education and knowledge sit at the core of Kenya’s drive to reach first-world status. He maintained that no country can achieve sustainable development without investing in its people.
“It is the single most important thing that we must do because, for us to move this country to first-world status, knowledge and education are central to that journey,” he said.
Ruto expressed confidence in Kenya’s youth, saying young people will play a key role in driving the country’s economic transformation and supporting future growth.
The President also lauded Kenya’s performance at the 2026 Global Huawei ICT Competition, describing the event as the largest ICT skills competition in the world.
The contest drew more than 220,000 participants from over 2,000 institutions across more than 100 countries. Only 177 teams from 49 countries qualified for the global finals in Shenzhen, China.
Kenya’s Cloud Track Team emerged as the competition’s biggest winner after securing the Grand Prize, the highest award. The win marked Kenya’s first Grand Prize since joining the contest in 2019.
The President said the outcome showed that Kenyan youth have the skills to compete in fast-growing technologies such as cloud computing, artificial intelligence, big data, and digital infrastructure.
“Their achievement in cloud computing, artificial intelligence, big data, and digital infrastructure is a signal that Kenya possesses the talent required to build the cloud infrastructure, data centers, and AI capabilities that will power our digital economy,” he said.
Ruto added that Kenya will need continued investment in digital skills to achieve its goal of becoming a leading technology hub in Africa and to link young innovators with opportunities in global markets.
