President William Ruto has announced that police officers will no longer be deployed in the management of national examinations, saying exams should be viewed as a normal part of the learning process rather than a high-risk security affair.
Speaking on Friday, January 23, the President said the move aligns with his administration’s commitment to easing educational transitions and eliminating unnecessary obstacles to learning.
He explained that the decision marks a shift from treating examinations as security operations to handling them as academic processes.
Ruto Removes Police from National Exams Management. Photo: Courtesy.
According to Ruto, his government has already overseen two major education transitions from primary to junior school, and from junior to secondary school adding that reforms in exam administration are part of broader efforts to stabilize and improve the education system.
The President stressed that no learner should be locked out of school, pointing to the government’s heavy investment in education infrastructure and learning resources.
He noted that, for the first time, capitation funds were disbursed to schools before learners reported, departing from the long-standing practice where funding arrived weeks or even months after term opening.
Moreover the Head of State noted that the government released a record Ksh44 billion to support teaching and learning, adding that with funded classrooms, paid teachers, and adequate resources in place, there is no justification for keeping any child out of school.
President Ruto also said his administration will move to address alleged corruption in the school uniform sector, noting that exorbitant uniform costs are locking some learners out of school.
He revealed that some institutions charge as much as Ksh38,000 for uniforms and directed that no student should be barred from attending classes over uniform requirements.
