EDUCATION

County disburses Sh103 million bursaries as 10,000 applicants unsuccessful

BY JOEY KIMEU

More than 10,000 applicants for the Sh103 million Embu County Government bursaries were unsuccessful.

Even though that was the county’s highest allocation issued in a single financial year, the applications were many and they considered the neediest cases, according to the fund manager Jeremiah Ireri.

Ireri revealed that out of the 35,000 applicants only 23,400 were awarded the bursaries that would help pay their school or college fees.

Secondary schools took the lion share amounting to Sh58 million while the rest was shared among special schools, vocational training centres, universities and colleges.

Speaking during the bursary launch at St Benedict Kithimu Secondary School, Ireri who is county acting Education chief officer called on MCAs to consider increasing the bursary kitty so that as many applicants benefit.

Education CEC John Kiamati who was the chief guest said the county has increased the bursary kitty every year to enable as many children receive education.

“The county government is responsible for functions of early child development education and vocational training, however we are extending an olive branch to colleges and universities to facilitate learning of needy students,” Kiamati added.

Embu Deputy Speaker Steve Simba urged the national government to consider starting a feeding program in day secondary schools to fully realize the free education plan.

He said whereas the government has tried to ensure 100 percent to secondary school through the Free Secondary Education program, fee structures in most day schools total about Sh18,000.

“If education is free, why are we here issuing bursaries in day secondary schools? Parents are required to pay development fee of Sh2,000 and meals for Sh16,000. The government should provide beans and maize to schools to lessen the burden of poor parents in paying school fees,” he said.

Muminji MCA Newton Kariuki urged principals to desist from sending home students who have not paid school fees but who did not receive bursaries, saying parents always tried their best to pay.

Embu County Assembly Majority Leader Michael Njeru said the county government bursaries were highly transparent and called similar transparency in CDF bursaries.