Kwale County Governor Salim Mvurya has disbursed bursaries worth Sh.15.7 million to needy students in the region.
Governor Mvurya said 1,200 secondary and university students from Mwereni and Tiwi wards received the fees bursary from the county government’s coffers.
Speaking while issuing the cheques to the beneficiaries in Lunga Lunga Sub County, Mvurya said his administration continues to make great strides in education, infrastructure, agriculture, health among other sectors.
The two-term Governor said the bursaries and the scholarships were being issued through the ‘Elimu Ni Sasa’ which the devolved unit launched in 2013 when he was first elected as area Governor.
He said the bursaries for the needy students will help the coastal county attain the 100 per cent transition policy to secondary schools championed by the Ministry of Education.
He urged needy parents to take advantage of the bursary kitty to educate their children and secure their future, assuring that his administration will focus on education and they will fully fund.
Mvurya who was accompanied by his Deputy Fatuma Achani and County Executive for Education Mangale Chiforomodo said the ‘Elimu Ni Sasa initiative’ aims at uplifting the living standards of the people through education and creating job opportunities.
“Before I assumed office in 2013, Kwale was known as the worst in education performance, highest child mortality rate, early marriages, food insecurity and high school dropouts,” said Mvurya adding that his administration is making progress in turning the tide.
The county boss noted that as students in other counties struggle to ‘sell kidneys’ to pay school fees in Kwale, they get full annual bursaries especially for those attending national schools.
“We also pay fees for university students and others in ordinary secondary schools,” he said, adding that it’s only good leadership that can achieve such a feat.
He said the county bursary will go a long way to cushion parents who have been hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic to clear their children’s school fees.
“Education is not a fully devolved function but we will continue to support it because it is the best way to fight debilitating poverty among residents” he said.
By Hussein Abdullahi
