President Ruto Launches Sh500m National Minority Scholarship Programme to Boost Education Access

Nairobi, 18 December 2025 — President William Ruto has today announced the immediate establishment of a KSh500 million National Minority Scholarship Programme to help children from indigenous minority and marginalised communities access secondary and tertiary education. The announcement was made at State House, Nairobi, during the observance of the International Day for Minority Rights.

This major initiative comes alongside Cabinet approval of the National Policy on Ethnic Minorities, Indigenous and Marginalised Communities (2025–2035) — a comprehensive framework to operationalise Article 56 of the Constitution, which requires the state to implement affirmative action for marginalised groups.

🎓 New Scholarship to Break Educational Barriers

President Ruto emphasised that the KSh500 million scholarship fund will be implemented in partnership with private sector players and development partners to support learners from historically disadvantaged communities. The programme will cover costs necessary for both secondary and tertiary education, ensuring that economic hardship does not prevent talented students from pursuing their academic goals

“This programme will support children from indigenous minorities and marginalised communities to access both secondary and tertiary education, ensuring that poverty is no longer a barrier to talent,” President Ruto said.

🧠 Policy Backing and Structural Reforms

Alongside the scholarship announcement, the Cabinet approved the long-awaited National Policy on Ethnic Minorities, Indigenous and Marginalised Communities. The policy provides a roadmap for delivering on constitutional promises of inclusion and equity, mandating affirmative action in public service hiring and expanding support for marginalised areas. The policy will also see the elevation of the Minorities and Marginalised Communities Unit within the Executive Office of the President into a semi-autonomous directorate tasked with coordinating interventions across government.

📚 Complementary Measures to Strengthen Impact

To ensure that the scholarship programme delivers lasting results, the government announced additional support measures:KSh200 million annual Education Infrastructure Fund to build, upgrade and equip schools and middle-level colleges in marginalised areas. Government payment of Social Health Authority (SHA) contributions for 200,000 vulnerable individuals from minority and marginalised communities, improving access to healthcare. Priority allocation for water, roads and health facilities in minority regions to address structural barriers to development.

🤝 Reactions and Expectations

The launch drew attendance from thousands of representatives from diverse communities including Ogiek, El Molo, Rendille, Nubians and others (as reported by national sources), highlighting widespread interest and optimism among marginalized groups. Observers say the policy and scholarship, if implemented transparently and equitably, could be a transformative step toward educational inclusion in Kenya. Experts note that robust selection criteria, monitoring mechanisms, and civil society participation will be key to ensuring the funds reach the students and communities most in need.

What’s Next

The government now moves to align ministerial budgets and strategic plans with the new policy and to scale up programmes that can turn the blueprint into measurable progress over the coming years.

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