Ruto orders all students to report to schools with or without fees and uniforms
President William Ruto has ordered that no child should remain at home due to a lack of school fees or school uniforms, as challenges continue to affect the transition of learners from Junior Secondary School (JSS) to senior secondary school.
Officially, all Grade 10 learners were required to report to their assigned senior schools by Monday, January 12, 2026. However, many learners failed to report on time due to financial constraints faced by their parents and guardians.
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Speaking during the NYOTA Capital disbursement exercise at Kinoru Stadium in Meru County on Thursday, January 22, 2026, Ruto directed chiefs, education officers and all education stakeholders to ensure every learner reports to school immediately. He said the government has released sufficient funds to support learning in the first term and that no child should be locked out of school because of fees or uniforms.
“We have been informed that many children have not gone to school because parents do not have money to pay school fees or to buy uniforms. I want to instruct every chief that every child must be taken to school. If a child has a JSS uniform, they can use that same uniform to attend secondary school as they wait for their parents to get money. No Kenyan child should stay at home because of a uniform,” Ruto declared.
The President said many children have remained at home because parents cannot afford school fees and uniforms, particularly during the transition from Junior Secondary School (JSS) to senior secondary school. He directed schools to allow learners to attend classes even without a full uniform or fees, adding that learners can temporarily use their JSS uniforms as parents seek funds for new ones.
Ruto noted that the government has released Ksh44 billion in education funding, saying the amount is adequate to facilitate learning in the first term. He instructed schools not to send learners away and emphasised that education stakeholders must work together to ensure all children are in school.
“I am directing all education stakeholders that no child should remain at home. We have released KSh 44 billion, and there are sufficient funds for our children to be taught in the first term. Every child must report to school tomorrow, with or without a uniform, and with or without school fees,” The President said.
Cost of living
The transition from JSS to senior secondary school has presented several challenges for parents. Many have struggled with the cost of new uniforms, boarding fees, transport and learning materials. The financial burden has been worsened by the rising cost of living, leaving some families unable to meet school requirements on time.
Parents and school administrators have also raised concerns over delays in government capitation, which has affected school operations and pushed some institutions to rely on parents to cover basic costs such as meals and learning resources.
