President William Ruto presided over the grand opening of the Phase II Education Complex at Umma University in Kajiado County. In his keynote address, President Ruto articulated his administration's vision for empowering institutions of higher learning to mould a new generation of graduates. "We are empowering institutions of higher learning to shape a new generation of graduates — skilled, ethical, and innovative — ready to create jobs, advance technology, and tackle the pressing challenges of our time," the President said. The centrepiece of the event was the official commissioning of the state-of-the-art Dr. Abdulrahman Al-Sumait Complex. This monumental 10-storey building, constructed at a cost of Sh1.4 billion, is designed to serve over 10,000 students, providing them with modern facilities to support their academic pursuits. Looking to the future, the President also broke ground for the construction of the Umma University School of Engineering, marking the launch of its Phase III development. This significant step is aimed at equipping young Kenyans with cutting-edge skills to innovate, build, and lead in the technology and engineering industries of tomorrow. He detailed the government's bold reforms to achieve this, including strengthening university governance, restructuring financing, and introducing the transformative Student-Centred Funding Model. "These bold reforms have not only safeguarded the sustainability of our universities and restored financial stability, but they have also reduced fees and opened the doors of higher education to more learners across the nation," President Ruto said. Founded in 1997 by the Africa Muslim Agency, now Direct Aid International, Umma University holds the distinction of being Kenya's first Islamic institution of higher learning. From its humble beginnings, it has matured into a fully-fledged university, offering a diverse portfolio of certificate, diploma, degree, and postgraduate programmes tailored to meet the nation's evolving development needs. Speaking at the event, Health CS Aden Duale highlighted the university's critical contribution to the national health sector. "As CS for Health, I am particularly proud to note that the institution runs accredited nursing and health sciences programmes that directly feed into our national workforce," he stated. "This significantly contributes to the realization of Universal Health Coverage (UHC) under the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA)." he further described the expansion as "a clear demonstration of how faith-inspired institutions can play a transformative role in education, research and service to society." Today's events at Umma University stand as a powerful testament to the collaborative role of public and private, faith-based institutions in driving educational access, quality, and relevance for Kenya's socio-economic transformation.