Thousands of needy students across the country can now breathe a sigh of relief after the Council of Governors (CoG) reached an agreement with the Controller of Budget over the stalled bursary disbursements.
The announcement was made on June 18 during Education Day in Diif, Wajir County, where CoG chairman and Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi publicly confirmed the deal.
The event was attended by several leaders, including Head of Public Service Felix Koskei, who was the chief guest.
The breakthrough follows weeks of tension between the two offices, with Abdullahi accusing Controller of Budget Margaret Nyakang’o of frustrating the release of funds to counties, particularly bursary allocations meant to support education for disadvantaged learners.
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The latest standoff had been triggered by the introduction of a new set of conditions, commonly referred to as the “blue checklist,” which counties were required to comply with before receiving any disbursements. Governors had protested the move, saying it unnecessarily delayed critical funding for needy students.
“We have finally agreed with the Controller of Budget that this year she allows us as counties to issue bursaries,” Abdullahi said during the event. “We want bursaries treated not as a side issue, but as a social welfare necessity.”
He emphasized the role education plays in transforming lives, noting that his administration will soon disburse Sh130 million, with Wajir South receiving the highest allocation due to its large number of wards.
In addition, he revealed that Ksh150 million has been set aside for constructing Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) classrooms in areas where teachers are available but infrastructure is lacking.
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At the same event, Head of Public Service Felix Koskei urged learners to uphold discipline and hard work, stating that these values are key to personal success. He also encouraged the Ministry of Education and education officers to promote healthy competition among schools to improve academic performance.
“Discipline and hard work are the pillars of success,” said Koskei. “And performance can only improve when schools challenge each other to do better.”
By Benedict Aoya
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