For decades, the crucial role of teachers as primary educators and vital opinion leaders was often relegated to the side-lines of top decision-making tables.
However, that changed this month when 10,000 teachers and their representatives from the Kenya National Union of Teachers (Knut), the Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (Kuppet), the Kenya Union of Special Needs Education Teachers (Kusnet) met President William Ruto at the State House in Nairobi.
President William Ruto and Deputy President Kithure Kindiki during a meeting with teachers at State House, Nairobi on September 13, 2025.
Photo credit: Pool | Nation Media Group
Also represented were heads associations – the Kenya Primary School Heads Association (Kepsha) and the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association (Kessha) – marking a new era of direct engagement for the country’s educators.
During the high-level meeting, the teachers presented a 10-point agenda detailing their priorities for educational reforms and improved welfare. Some of the issues raised, union officials claim, have already been implemented, and they credit their State House meeting for that.
Today (Sunday), the Head of State will attend the commemoration of the World Teachers’ Day at Kasarani, where around 5,000 educators will converge to celebrate their day. Attendance of such a meeting by the President is a rare occurrence.
During the meeting, teachers will be recognised and awarded by their employer, the Teachers Service Commission (TSC). The event, organised by TSC, is now a State function where the President, Prime Cabinet Secretary Musalia Mudavadi, Cabinet Secretaries, and Principal Secretaries have been invited.
“Why is it wrong if the President meets teachers? This is a global event, and the President has a choice to make about attending any global event in his country. President Ruto [will be] the first Head of State to ever attend teachers’ celebrations. We congratulate him and we are happy,” said Knut Secretary-General Mr Collins Oyuu.
Mr Oyuu said the attention that Dr Ruto has given to the crucial education sector must be applauded and encouraged.
“Teachers need to be encouraged and recognised. The President recognises that teachers and others are asking why. That is a big question,” he added.
“The strength of a nation depends on education. A citizenry that is educated is actually a reserve for education development.”
Kenya National Union of Teachers secretary general Collins Oyuu during Knut Eldoret West Branch’s Annual General Meeting at Bishop Delany Memorial Secondary School in Eldoret City, Uasin Gishu County on August 15, 2025.
Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation Media Group
Mr Oyuu refuted claims that the meeting was to consolidate or woo the constituency ahead of the 2027 General Election.
“Are you not aware that union elections are next year? And then the national elections are the other year? So, which one comes first? You think the President is campaigning for the union official? Our meetings with the President have nothing to do with general elections. We support the President’s commitment to matters of education. If he may be meeting teachers every year so that we can continue telling him about the issues on the ground on matters of education [then it’s fine],” he added.
“We are the people on the ground. Thanks to the President for meeting us several times. In fact, I am expecting a third meeting before the end of the year,” he added.
Knut’s first National Vice Chairman, Dr Malel Langat, said the President’s gesture towards teachers is commendable.
“My father is a retired teacher, and since time immemorial, the professionals have always had problems with the successive governments. The first President, the late Mzee Jomo Kenyatta, brought on board teachers and TSC. But in the successive governments, teachers have been fighting for their rights and their welfare. At no one time have they found favour with any other regime,” he said.
Dr Langat said even Kenya’s second President Daniel Moi, who was a teacher, almost killed Knut by forming a splinter union — despite the fact that he helped form Knut.
“We have always been going on strike. We have always been fighting with the government up to the last regime — the immediate former President Uhuru Kenyatta, whose regime almost ‘killed’ Knut,” revealed Dr Langat.
However, he said, Knut has since rejuvenated.
Dr Langat said Dr Ruto’s leadership style is different as it has embraced workers. He cited the cordial working relationship between the Central Organisation of Trade Unions (Cotu) Secretary-General, Mr Fransis Atwoli, and the government. The unionist said Knut will protect what it has secured from the Kenya Kwanza government.
“You should know that we work with the government of the day and we will always fight for the rights of the teachers. Our role is to secure, promote and protect the welfare of our members. People saying there is a bromance between the President and teachers, [it] is in the interest of the teachers. Once teachers are comfortable, learners will also be comfortable and the education sector will have peace and industrial harmony,” said Dr Langat, adding that the President means well for the education sector.
Dr Langat said the 10-point agenda the teachers presented to the Head of State early this month has already begun being implemented. He cited the Collective Bargaining Agreement cycle that has been shortened from four years to either three or two, and the employment of teachers who are over 45 years old.
“Knut has done its part; this is all part of the implementation. So, we expect more collaborations with all stakeholders for prosperity,” he added.
Teachers during their meeting with President William Ruto at State House, Nairobi on September 13, 2025.
Photo credit: Pool | Nation Media Group
Dr Langat said the teachers will also take time to pray for the professionals, adding that teachers have bishops, sheikhs, among others in their unions and associations.
This year’s World Teachers’ Day has the theme “Recasting Teaching as a Collaborative Profession”, highlighting the importance of collaboration as a driver of educational transformation.
Mr Omari Omari, the national spokesperson of the Kenya Junior School Teachers Association (Kejusta), said the President’s newfound love with teachers is welcomed.
“This marks the first time the event has been celebrated in Kenya with such magnitude and recognition. We appreciate the President for recently turning his attention to teachers. It is evident that he has begun to recognise the critical role teachers play, especially JS teachers, in the success of Competency Based Education,” said Mr Omari.
Mr Omari expressed hopes that the President will invite teachers for a dialogue to address the pressing issues of JS autonomy.
“We believe that through constructive dialogue, involving the teachers working in JS, lasting solutions can be found. We are encouraged by this newfound love between the President and the teaching fraternity. We hope that by 2027, this positive relationship will have borne significant fruit, leading to a stronger, more dignified, and better supported teaching profession,” he added.
The President has been relying on educators to address pertinent issues in the sector. That is why he formed the education taskforce in 2022 after his election. He tasked his former lecturer, Prof Raphael Munavu, and other educationists to address education challenges that led to the domiciling of Junior School in primary schools.
When he encountered challenges in the higher education sector, the Head of State ran to an educationist, Prof Kamau Ngamau, the Cooperative University of Kenya Vice Chancellor, who revealed challenges bedevilling the new funding model, which has since been revised.
Under President Ruto, the TSC has employed 76,000 teachers in the basic education sector, and he has often claimed the bragging rights of being the first Head of State to employ the highest number of teachers within three years.
Analysts see Dr Ruto’s closeness with teachers as part of the 2027 game play. Given their presence in every corner of the country, teachers can easily be used to spruce up the President’s image across the country translating into a re-election he desperately wants.
Ahead of the 2022 General Election, Dr Ruto made a raft of promises to teachers. They included hiring all unemployed teachers within two years, ending the delocalisation policy, review the CBC curriculum, provide free internet connection to primary and secondary schools, among others.
