PS Omollo warns students against drug abuse

Interior Principal Secretary Raymond Omollo has raised concerns over rising cases of drug and substance abuse among young people.

The PS urged students to steer clear of harmful influences and focus on building their future.

Speaking during a student engagement forum, PS Omollo cautioned learners against falling into destructive habits, noting that drug abuse remains one of the biggest challenges facing the country’s youth.

“One of the biggest issues that we are struggling with is the issue of drug and substance abuse. And I want to passionately speak to the students that, because of the good culture in Utumishi, please do not fall prey to drug and substance abuse. Look out for the kind of friends that you make. Try to keep away from drugs,” he said.

“Try to keep away from substance abuse, because if you do not do that, then you will never have an opportunity for us to come and celebrate you. You will never have an opportunity to positively contribute to the well-being and development of this country.”

He warned that substance abuse could derail their ambitions and deny them the opportunity to contribute meaningfully to national development.

The PS highlighted the government’s investment in the education sector under President William Ruto, noting that it accounts for the largest share of the national budget.

“As a government led by President William Ruto, the amount of investment that we have put in education is higher than any investment that we are undertaking as a government. Actually, close to 30 per cent of the national budget is dedicated to education,” he said.

He also pointed to progress in implementing the Competency-Based Curriculum, saying initial concerns from parents have been addressed, bringing clarity and structure to the system.

“Parents were worried how this system was going to work. And in three years, we've been able to streamline the process, and now there's a lot of clarity in terms of how the competency-based education curriculum is being undertaken.”

According to PS Omollo, the government has made major strides in strengthening the education sector, including the recruitment of 100,000 teachers and the construction of over 23,000 classrooms in the last three years.

He added that sustained collaboration with Members of Parliament has ensured continued funding for hiring, training, and infrastructure development to support learning across the country.

“And there is continuous investment with a lot of support from our Members of Parliament in terms of making sure that there is adequate budget to hire, to train, and also to put up and build the infrastructure.”

The PS spoke on Tuesday at the 29th Patron's Award Ceremony held at Utumishi Boys Academy in Gilgil.