Teso North Constituency has issued sponsorship cheques and confirmation letters to 20 out of 24 students who scored 400 marks and above in the 2023 KCPE exams, with all of them landing opportunities in various national secondary schools across the country.
The occasion at the Amagoro NG-CDF offices was presided over by area MP Oku Kaunya and attended by parents and students who landed the sponsorships.
Kaunya disclosed that Speaker of the National Assembly Moses Wetangula has offered a full-year scholarship to two students – Stacy Adhiambo and Lavin Maira – who have joined the prestigious Alliance Girls High School from Malaba Township Primary School.
“We appreciate the Speaker’s kind gesture to pay fees for the two students. We shall resume payment of their fees in 2024, together with two other students who have been sponsored by other charitable organizations,” he said.
Five recipients of the NG-CDF – Belinda Lizy Tata, Gracious Blessing, Susa Wanja, Beric Iswan, and Dibora Toto – have been admitted at Lugulu Girls School.
Three others – Anickson Etyang, Roy Riziki, and Seth Ekisa – have been picked to pursue their education at Friends School Kamusinga.
Sebastian Prayis and Gerald Esirom will continue their education at Kapsabet Boys while Ino Leslie Karani joins Alliance Boys High School, Kyle Emuria joins Lenana School, Happy Brian joins Nairobi School, Manghoja Yusuf joins Kakamega High, Joseph Odhiambo joins St Patrick’s Iten and Zeitun Hussein jons Pangani Girls.
“To show our commitment, we paid Ksh20,000 for each student’s tuition fee and a commitment letter to clear the balance once the National Treasury releases CDF funds,” he said.
Kaunya regretted that the CDF monies had been delayed enough, adding that they will petition Speaker Wetangula to call an emergency special sitting to order the Exchequer to release the funds.
The MP thanked the National Government for offering bursaries to 29 students from the sub-county, Faridi SACCO for sponsoring one student, and Equity Bank for sponsoring 4 others under the Wings to Fly programme.
“We need to prioritize education to get rid of poverty thus the need to encourage the county government to put in more funds to sponsor more students,” he said.
He said they have spent over Ksh12 million since the introduction of the programme in 2021 with Ksh4.2 million spent this year alone.
He urged the government to add more money to the CDF kitty by at least 5 per cent of the national revenue. He noted that they are also pushing for the creation of Teso County in collaboration with MPs from marginalized communities, emphasizing that many benefits will accrue with the autonomy of a county.
Kaunya said that they will increase beneficiaries of the sponsorship programme from 52 to 100 by next year.
“I thank parents, pupils, and teachers for producing record top grades in KCPE. I also thank Kolanya Girls National School for emerging the second best school in 2023 KCSE,” he said.
The MP was flanked by Constituency Manager Richard Opagala, CDF Chairperson Mary Oshoromo Okwii, Bursary Chairperson William Okalio and Deputy Manager Mary Ekudam Epili.
By Gilbert Ochieng
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