Over 900 needy secondary school students have been boosted in fee settlement as Kwale County releases Ksh60 million bursary fund.
Speaking during the official launch at the Kwale County Headquarters, Governor Fatuma Achani said the fund is meant to address the growing number of students requiring financial assistance in the county.
Achani reaffirmed her administration’s commitment to prioritizing education as the bedrock of human resource development and societal transformation.
She appealed the Controller of Budget, (CoB) to allow counties to continue issuing bursaries so that underprivileged children can benefit from education.
“Our children have already lost valuable learning time. I appeal to the CoB to fast-track the release of funds so that no child is denied the right to education,” said Achani, adding that education is key without which there can be no transformation and progress.
Her sentiments were echoed by a parent, Mwanasiti Mwamamzaka, who called on President William Ruto to intervene and ensure counties receive adequate funding to support school-going children.
ALSO READ:
Controller of Budget accused of frustrating release of county bursaries
“Our school-going children, especially girls, are at risk of getting pregnant because they are stuck at home due to lack of school fees,” lamented the parent.
Mwamamzaka further lauded the governor for the bursary disbursement noting that the cash transfers for the needy students would help support school retention and completion rates.
Kwale County Assembly Minority Leader and Tiwi ward MCA Juma Mwachivyomo thanked the county government for reviving the bursary program.
He also urged the COB to ensure timely cash disbursements to counties to help keep children from poor backgrounds in school.
The MCA commended the county government for its sustained support for students through bursary schemes and praised Governor Achani for what he described as her unwavering commitment to education and student welfare.
This comes after the Controller of Budget (CoB), Margaret Nyakang’o, suspended bursary disbursements for over a year, instructing counties to stop issuing bursaries for primary, secondary, and tertiary students.
The arrangement which was subsequently suspended by a court order in February 2025, creating an ongoing legal battle where governors are pushing for a temporary reprieve to cushion needy students from the impact of the freeze.
By Juma Ndigo
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
>>> Click here to read more informed opinions on the country’s education landscape
