By Kipilat Kapusya
More than 7,000 less privileged learners in Sigor Constituency, Central Pokot Sub County, West Pokot County have benefited from bursaries worth 40 million shillings courtesy of Constituency Development Funds [CDF].
Thousands of children in the volatile area were missing out in education due to lack of school fees.
Learning in Sigor Constituency which borders Turkana, Elgeyo Marakwet and Baringo Counties was affected by cattle rustling and insecurity activities that are being witnessed in the area.
Sixty percent of children in the region are out of school because their parents are unable to pay fees for them.
The insecurity prone, semi arid area is faced with a lot of challenges of high poverty levels, hunger due to drought where cattle died, rivers dried up, no agricultural activities and rampant insecurity
Sigor MP Peter Lochakapong has stepped up to the challenge to entice learners by offering bursaries to orphans and school drop outs after many have failed to report to school this term.
“Every child will get Shs, 5000.Residents in this place are not used to paying fees and many children remain at home for lack of fees. We want to help children to stay in school,” he said.
Speaking while launching the bursary funds on Tuesday at Sigor trading center, the law maker said that learners, mostly those affected by the insecurity, will benefit from the funds.
“Only 40 percent of children are in schools though many have embraced education. The money is not enough as there are many learners in secondary and colleges,” he said.
Mr Lochakapong said he decided to allocate the funds to bursary since his area is faced with many challenges and these had hindered many children from furthering their education.
“In the past we have been conflicting with our neighbors and with the current peace we have experienced we want to invest in education to help eradicate the outdated cultural practices,” he said.
He asked the government to increase allocation to CDF since the current allocation is not enough to meet the demands of the people.
Mr Lochakapong noted that the residents in the area are faced with hunger urging the national government to supply relief food in schools.
“We urged learners to work hard because this is public money. We want parents to embrace education,” he said.
A resident Grace Reng’ei who lauded the MP for transparency in disbursement of the funds, said the funds will help save girls from early forced marriages since they will be in school continuously.
“Cases of school dropouts are going to drop drastically since we have been helped to pay school fees. The bursary will end banditry and cattle rustling. We need security beef up at Chesegon and Kamulogon areas,” he said.
A teacher Jonathan Pkiech thanked the bursary committee for allocating the funds equally to all children without discrimination.
Another resident said many children are at home this term due to lack of fees.
“There are conflicts and we have many orphans and widows hence many residents are sleeping in the bush. We shall not chase learners away for fees,” he said.
A teacher Emily Kalyakamur said many parents had been discouraged from selling their animals since prices had dropped.
“We are pastoralists and we depend on livestock to help us sustain our families when prices go down, many people don’t want to sell their animals since they value them. Right now there is hunger, drought and insecurity but learners will now be able to go to schools,” she said.
A resident Rahab Chepkorir said many parents in the region have embraced education and the transition rate to secondary schools in the region had increased.
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