- The Busia County Government has paid full tuition fees for 95 students under its 2026 County Scholarship Programme.
- Officials have emphasised that the initiative aims to improve school retention and ease financial pressure on vulnerable families.
- Leaders have called for the programme’s continued support to extend into university education for beneficiaries.
The Busia County Government has paid full tuition fees for 95 students under the County Scholarship Programme for the 2026 academic year, in a move aimed at keeping needy and deserving learners in school.
The scholarship programme, implemented through the Department of Education and Vocational Training, seeks to cushion vulnerable families from the financial burden of secondary education and ensure learners complete their studies without disruption.
Chief Officer for Education and Vocational Training Esau Onyapidi Ochakala said the county administration remains committed to improving school retention and ensuring continuity of learning among students from financially disadvantaged households. He added that the payment of fees in full would give beneficiaries an opportunity to concentrate on their studies while easing pressure on their families.
The 95 beneficiaries are enrolled in secondary schools both within Busia County and in other parts of the country. Butula Boys has the highest number of beneficiaries at 20, followed by Kolanya Girls with nine and Sigalame with seven. Lwanya has five beneficiaries, while Kolanya Boys and Nangina Girls each have four. Other beneficiaries are studying in extra-county and national schools, including Nakuru Boys, Nakuru Girls and Starehe Boys’ Centre.
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Ang’urai East Ward MCA David Para Para Karani welcomed the continued implementation of the County Executive Scholarship Programme, saying it had provided critical support to students from vulnerable households. Karani spoke while collecting scholarship cheques for beneficiaries from his ward, noting that the programme had supported learners for three consecutive years and had helped prevent students from disadvantaged families from dropping out of school due to inability to raise fees.
The MCA called for sustained investment in the education sector, including continued support for scholarship beneficiaries beyond secondary school. He said enabling vulnerable learners to pursue their education through university would improve their prospects while contributing to the long-term socio-economic development of their families and communities.
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The scholarship programme forms part of the county government’s efforts to expand access to education and ensure that financial constraints do not undermine the academic progression of learners from needy households.
By Godfrey Wamalwa
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