Some 156 learners in Kisii County who sat the 2021 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE), will receive government scholarships to further their secondary education.
The scholarships, which are administered under the Elimu Scholarship Programme, are sponsored by the national government, World Bank and Equity Bank.
Speaking during a two-day interview for shortlisted students who applied for the scholarship in Kisii town, Equity Bank Kisii Branch Manager Robinson Mirieri said the funds would cater for school fees, transport, learning materials as well as pocket money for the students during the four-year period of secondary studies.
“This year, we have a total of 9,000 scholarships across the country and Kisii County has been allocated 156 slots which will be distributed across all sub-counties for vulnerable students who sat for their KCPE in public schools and scored 280 marks and above,” he noted.
The Manager said the exercise would consider students who have lost their parents, those suffering from chronic illnesses, students living with disability and also look at the poverty index for families where the students come from during the selection process.
Mirieri noted that beneficiaries of the Elimu scholarships would be selected from public schools only as opposed to the Wings to Fly scholarship which targets students from both public and private schools.
He said that in the event that a student drops out of school, the selection committee would consider the next available beneficiary from the same school who attended the interview but never got a chance for sponsorship.
In addition, the Manager noted the bank is keen on availing mentorship programmes for students in schools and during the holiday season.
Lenah Moracha, a widow and parent to one of the potential beneficiaries of the scholarship, expressed high hopes of her son being selected for the scholarship saying that it would enable him to study at Kisii School for the next four years.
Moracha said she was unemployed and this has seen her undertake odd jobs to bring up her four children.
“I was sent away from my marital home by my in-laws after my husband died and was forced to move out with my children to look for an alternative source of livelihood,” she said.
Another parent, Rodah Kemunto from Magena town, Kenyenya Sub-County, pointed out that her family comes from a poor background and she was hopeful that her child would be benefit from the scholarship.
Since its launch in 20202, the Elimu Scholarship has been providing hope, opportunity and access to education for 9,000 students and orphans from poor family backgrounds annually.
By Vincent Nyambane and Carolyne Omwamba
