The
Mountain Journal
Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has called
for increased funding for counties in Mt Kenya region to cater for rising
demand for bursaries for the needy students
While supporting the ongoing push for “One
man, one vote, one shilling” formula of funds allocation to counties, Waiguru said
Mt. Kenya region has been disadvantaged in the current disbursement formula.
She
said to remedy the situation, there is urgent need for review of the revenue
distribution formula to make population the main parameter in allocation of the
national resources.
“The
bursaries we are giving out are not enough, I want to join those calling for
increased funding for counties in Mt. Kenya especially for bursaries. We are
proposing even if it is a conditional grant, we will be grateful because this
will help our children remain in school,” Waiguru said.
Speaking at Baricho area of Ndia constituency
during the launch of the distribution of bursaries worth Ksh. 108.2 million to
needy students in the county, the governor said due to the high population in
the region, money allocated for bursaries is not adequate to support learning
of students.
The Council of Governors chair regretted that
while some other counties are able to fully fund education of needy students by
allocating 100 percent bursaries, counties in the region were giving out Sh
2000 or Sh.3000 because of the high number of applicants.
She said the government could also consider
giving increased conditional grants to the counties to fill in the resource
gap.
The
bursaries will assist 40,565
needy students studying in various secondary schools, universities and tertiary
institutions.
The
beneficiaries who are drawn from all the 20 wards across the county include 30,571 secondary school students, 5,103
college students and 4,891 university students.
“The
bursary program ensures that needy students, who are identified through a
rigorous vetting process by Ward Bursary Committees, are able to access education
regardless of their backgrounds,” she said.
In
the previous years, the county government has disbursed Ksh. 256.7 million benefiting over 50,000 students.
“We remain committed to supporting the
education of the children in the county, the improvement of academic
performance and ultimately, the lives of the youth in the county,” said
Waiguru,
The
governor said the county is planning to roll out digital learning across all
the 198 ECDE centers in the county to ensure that children are well prepared
for the new education curriculum.
“So
as to enhance service delivery at our ECDE centers, we have been undertaking
infrastructural development that include construction, renovation and equipping
of classrooms as well as distribution of teaching and learning materials,” the
governor added.
Waiguru
said the county government had absorbed all ECDE teachers on Permanent and
Pensionable scheme of service so as to motivate them to improve standard of
learning.
On
Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), the governor said her
administration is working towards the appointment of Boards of Governors to
enhance management of the institutions for better delivery of services.
“We
are working towards having centers of excellence in various youth polytechnics
to enable our youth access high quality training that will prepare them for the
contemporary job market or self-employment,” she added.
