Govt Begins Centralization of Bursaries
The government of Kenya has taken steps to centralize the distribution of secondary school bursaries throughout the country.
According to the Permanent Secretary for Early Learning and Basic Education, Belio Kipsang, the ministry is working to build the capacity to implement this process through the Jomo Kenyatta Foundation (JKF).
The government has deemed JKF to be the most suitable foundation to take on this centralization role, with the expectation that it will become the national body for managing scholarships.
The centralization of bursaries is in line with the Usawa Agenda, which calls for the harmonization of all forms of bursaries into one national institution.
The proposal was presented to the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms in 2022 and has been supported by the lobby executive director Emmanuel Manyasa, who believes that centralizing bursaries through one apolitical national institution with decentralised structures would reduce the “games” played by beneficiaries.
The ward-level structures will be responsible for identifying needy students and working with the communities to determine their level of need.
The team would then make public the funds disbursed to the needy students, which would be broken down by county, constituency, and ward levels.
This would enhance efficiency and reach more beneficiaries in a meaningful way.
On Friday, Kipsang commissioned 3,000 Jomo Kenyatta Foundation Scholarships worth Sh1.1 billion.
This move is a significant step towards centralizing the distribution of secondary school bursaries, ensuring that all students will soon have to apply for bursaries through one organization.
The ministry is working to ensure that JKF can sustain and play its central role effectively.
The centralization of bursaries is an important step in ensuring that more students have access to educational opportunities and can achieve their full potential.
Govt Begins Centralization of Bursaries