Concerns over Bursary-Dependent Students as Treasury Holds NG-CDF Funds
Learners from economically disadvantaged families, reliant on bursaries for educational expenses, face the risk of discontinuing studies due to the National Treasury’s delay in disbursing National Government-Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) funds.
Members of Parliament, as NG-CDF patrons, express concern for the uncertain future of bursary-dependent students.
Challenges include schools sending students home for fee collection, with orphans and day school students particularly affected. In the Mount Kenya region, parents struggle to secure NG-CDF bursaries as staff cite a lack of funds.
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In Murang’a County, parents await information on financial support applications for their children. Concerned parents, like Peter Karoki, fear their children will be sent home without NG-CDF allocation.
Esther Mwangi from Gachocho village in Kigumo expresses trauma over the Treasury’s delay, urging urgent action. Pauline Wanjiru, a single mother from Skuta in Nyeri, laments the non-receipt of NG-CDF bursary for her son at Giakanja Boys’, impacting his education.
Parents in Nyanza and the Western region express uncertainty without NG-CDF bursaries, emphasizing insufficient support from other sources. Kenya Union of Post-Primary Education Teachers (KUPPET) calls for expedited NG-CDF disbursement to safeguard needy students.
In Kisumu, learners struggle to secure bursaries and scholarships, with some unable to report to school due to fee constraints. Rift Valley students awaiting NG-CDF bursaries face the risk of dropping out, as schools grapple with financial strains and outstanding fee balances.
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MPs like Jane Kihara and Paul Biego emphasize the need for urgent Treasury intervention to release NG-CDF funds, impacting thousands of students seeking bursaries. KUPPET Secretary Paul Rotich advocates for harmonization of government bursary programs.
In Naivasha, MP Jane Kihara urges donors to assist students facing economic challenges. In the Coast region, Takaungu Secondary School sends 200 students home due to fee arrears, citing a delay in NG-CDF bursary disbursement as an unfortunate state of affairs.
The delayed NG-CDF disbursement, critical for settling educational costs and infrastructure improvements, raises concerns among educators and parents alike, with potential consequences for the academic future of countless students.
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Concerns over Bursary-Dependent Students as Treasury Holds NG-CDF Funds