Ruto sounds alarm as 29% of Grade 9 learners lack basic reading and numeracy skills

President William Ruto has raised concern over the quality of learning in Kenya's junior schools after disclosing that 29 per cent of Grade 9 learners have not acquired basic reading and numeracy skills, pointing to a gap between academic progression and actual learning achievement.The disclosure has placed the implementation of Competency-Based Education (CBE) under renewed scrutiny, with questions over whether learners are mastering foundational competencies before advancing to higher levels.