Machakos county Governor Wavinya Ndeti has appealed to principals not to send students home for fees owing to the harsh economic times being experienced countrywide.
Speaking at the Machakos International Convention Center while disbursing bursaries worth Ksh40 million to needy students across 40 wards in the county, Ndeti urged the principals to be patient with needy learners, adding that the government will soon release capitation funds.
A total of 13,868 students benefited from the first tranche of disbursement and a similar number are set to benefit in the second tranche of disbursement before the end of this year.
The governor noted that the bursaries will alleviate financial constraints and ensure no deserving student misses education.
She noted that her government is determined to ensure every learner has access to education.
“I am working with various stakeholders such as KNUT, KESSHA, KEPSHA, MoE, TSC, KUPPET and private school associations to improve the academic levels in the county,” she said.
The governor said she will establish a day care facility to enable families engage in productive activities that can earn them a living.
“Our mothers’ efforts to fend for their families are hampered by their inability to hire nannies to take care of their little ones. My government has committed to pilot one model daycare at a projected cost of Ksh21 million,” she added.
Deputy Governor Francis Mwangangi commended the county assembly for supporting the bursary initiative.
He promised the needy learners of support from the county government in form of bursaries and scholarships.
He noted that the county government is ready to support schools that do well in academics and co-curricular activities and gave an example of how the county gave Kwanthanze Secondary School girls volleyball team Ksh10 million when they were going for the continental championship in Morocco.
The girls emerged Africa’s volleyball champions and will conquer the world in Berlin, Germany later this year.
Education CECM Joyce Mwikali said the county government will award bursaries to students who didn’t get the cut off for public universities to enable them enroll in TVET institutions for practical courses that are on demand in the job market.
County Commissioner Josephine Ouko promised to improve the education standards in the county.
KESSHA Chairman Anthony Kitungi, who is also Kwanthanze Secondary School Principal, said schools were facing tough financial times due to delay in the disbursement of capitation funds by the national government.
He thanked the county government for their timely intervention that enabled the Kwanthanze team travel to Morocco.
One of the beneficiaries Sally Wambua, a student at Kawethei Secondary School, said the bursary had rekindled her hopes for a better future.
“This bursary will go a long way in ensuring that students do not drop out of school. We promise to work hard to reciprocate your generosity,” said Wambua, who also lauded the governor for being an inspiration to many students after being elected the first female governor of Machakos County.
By Stephen Muthini, Agnes Orang’o and Vostine Ratemo
Get more stories from our website: Education News
You can also follow our social media pages on Twitter: Education News KE and Facebook: Education News Newspaper for timely updates.
