The County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Education, ECDE, and Vocational Training in Bungoma County Dr. David Wanyonyi Wamamili has reassured parents that the County administration will address all outstanding arrears under the Education Scholarship Programme.
Speaking to the press, Dr. Wamamili urged parents not to worry, assuring them that the administration plans to settle arrears amounting to Ksh 280 million by the end of 2023.
This initiative aims to ensure that learners can continue their studies uninterrupted into the year 2024.
In the financial year 2022/2023, the county government allocated Ksh 524 Million, with Ksh 345 Million earmarked for the Scholarship Program and Ksh 180 Million for bursaries.
Dr. Wamamili disclosed that for the financial year 2023/2024, Ksh 250 Million has been allocated to support learners from disadvantaged backgrounds enrolled in the Scholarship Programme.
He highlighted that each of the 45 wards in the county would produce five bright yet needy students.
However, Dr. Wamamili acknowledged that the number of beneficiaries under the County Scholarship Programme decreased from 8,870 to 1,819 students due to financial constraints.
He provided a breakdown of the scholarship recipients in 2023, indicating 845 students in Form One, 1,890 in Form Two, and 2,192 in Form Three.
The Chief Officer in the Department of Education George Kiboi expressed concern about the impact of diverting funds from ECDEs and VTCs to the Scholarship Programme.
He emphasized the importance of scholarship recipients excelling academically, cautioning that failure to do so could result in removal from the program.
Kiboi clarified that the county government’s core mandate is to support learners in ECDE and VTCs by providing a conducive learning environment.
While appreciating the county government’s efforts,
Kiboi called on Members of Parliament to contribute to the Scholarship Program, alleviating the burden on the County Government.
He also urged parents to instill good morals in their children, particularly during the festive season, to address issues such as teenage pregnancies and substance abuse among school-going children.
The Bungoma County Scholarship Programme, initiated in 2018, focuses on supporting academically gifted students from needy backgrounds.
The program began with 453 beneficiaries in 2018, increased to 556 in 2019, and reached 769 students in 2020.
Although the number fluctuated in subsequent years, it saw a substantial rise to 8,870 beneficiaries in 2022.
By Achola Bulimo Mathews
Get more stories from our website: Education News
To write to us or offer feedback, you can reach us at: editor@educationnews.co.ke
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper for timely updates.
>>> Click here to stay up-to-date with trending regional stories
