Sh.400M Presidential Bursary To Cover Fees For Over 20,000 Needy Students.
More than 20,000 needy secondary school students will have their fees covered by the government’s Sh400 million presidential bursary program.
The funds were distributed to schools over the weekend after successful applicants submitted their requests through their respective constituency offices, which oversee the scheme.
The funds are part of the Sh8.95 billion made available by the government to vulnerable populations through the cash transfer program.
The funds will be used to educate orphans and vulnerable children as part of a bursary program that began in 2013.
Margaret Kobia, Special Programmes Cabinet Secretary, announced the funds’ release, stating that the bursary’s goal is to improve secondary school access, attendance, and completion.
“Disbursement of this fund is constituency-based, with all constituencies getting an equal allocation of Sh1.3 million,” Prof Kobia said in a statement.
In the 2021/22 fiscal year, a total of 22,000 needy and orphaned students in public boarding schools will have their fees paid up to a maximum of Sh30,000 per learner through the program.
Under the free-day secondary school education program, the government is currently paying Sh22,444 per student.
The government sponsors 9,000 Form One students each year through the Ministry of Education- Elimu Scholarship Programme.
The programs are aimed at bright but impoverished students in 110 sub-counties and 15 urban areas with informal settlements.
Last year, the allocation in urban centers with slums was increased from 25% to 33.33% of the 9,000 slots to cushion vulnerable households and give hope to the less fortunate.
More students are also benefiting from scholarship programs offered by the Jomo Kenyatta Foundation, Kenya Commercial Bank, and Equity Bank, among others.
The National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) also provides bursaries to deserving students throughout the country.
Prof Kobia has also announced that Sh8.5 billion of the Sh8.9 billion released will be used to support the most vulnerable members of society through the Inua Jamii program.
The funds are intended to protect orphans and vulnerable children, the elderly, and people with severe disabilities from poverty and hunger, as well as to improve their lives.
Sh13.045 million has been allocated for nutrition assistance in the form of cash and a health education program.
“The niche programme targets households with children under two years of age and pregnant and lactating mothers who are already enrolled in the Inua Jamii programme,” said Prof Kobia.
Depending on the number of children enrolled in the program, a total of 339,15 households will benefit from the money under this program.
The households are located in the counties of Kitui, Kilifi, Marsabit, Turkana, and West Pokot.
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Prof Kobia stated that the funds have been credited to 1,067,805 Inua Jamii beneficiaries, with payments set to begin last week.
Each beneficiary will receive Sh8, 000 in July, August, September, and October of 2021.
“Beneficiaries or caregivers can access all or part of this payment at any time over a six months’ period. This will avoid crowding at the payment points,” said Prof Kobia.
Sh.400M Presidential Bursary To Cover Fees For Over 20,000 Needy Students.
