Over 80,000 students in Siaya County have had their studies subsidized by the county government in the last eight years, area governor Cornel Rasanga has said.
Rasanga says that since the inception of devolution in 2013, his government has spent Sh591 million on bursary, benefiting 82,963 students.
Speaking at the county government offices in Siaya town Thursday, when he launched this year’s bursary programme, he said that this year alone, over 8,000 students will benefit from a Sh62 million kitty that has been disbursed to various institutions.
The governor said that each of the beneficiaries of yesterday’s disbursement will get between Sh5000 and Sh20,000 depending on the category of the school.
He said that 5,970 students in secondary schools will get a total of Sh42, 180,000, while 815 students in universities will get a total of Sh8, 150,000.
Some 793 students in tertiary institutions, and 351 trainees in vocational and technical colleges will get Sh7,060,000 and Sh3,510,000 respectively while 138 special needs students will get a total of Sh1,320,000, added the governor.
Rasanga said that the bursary has helped increase retention and completion rate in schools by over 80%.
Meanwhile, the Kobong’ Education Fund will spend one million shillings to help the bright and needy students continue with their studies, the fund chairman, Charles Siso has said.
Speaking at Kobong’ community hall in Gagra, Rarieda Sub County, Siso said that more than 200 students will benefit from the kitty.
He called for donations from well-wishers to help the fund reach more needy students.
By Philip Onyango
