A total of 125 bright students from vulnerable households in Laikipia North Sub County have benefited from secondary education scholarships.
Speaking to KNA after issuing cheques worth Sh.1.7 million to the beneficiaries in Ngenia Primary school, Laikipia North Member of Parliament Sarah Lekorere said out of the 125 students, 40 had their fees paid in full, while the rest got partial scholarships.
“Parents had a hard time schooling their children due to persistent drought. Those offered full scholarship are the most vulnerable, for instance the orphaned,” said the legislator, adding that the scholarships were also a form of motivation to the top students from the region who had exemplary performance in the 2021 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) results.
The MP further noted the scholarships were drawn from the Constituency Development Fund kitty (CDF) and supported by the wildlife conservancies from the area.
“It had been a joint effort in enhancing education matters. My driving force is to make Laikipia North stable on development and security issues. We must educate the residents to achieve that,” said the MP.
She claimed, the perennial conflicts experienced in the region is due to lack of education.
“I believe that when children get educated, we will be able to solve conflicts and tribal hatred and at the same time enhance development,” noted Lekorere.
She concluded by urging residents, majority of whom are pastoralists to educate girls and shun retrogressive culture.
Jackson Nakerer Echom, a beneficiary of the scholarship said the scholarship will enable him get a high school education which he feared he could have missed for lack of fees.
He scored 341 marks in KCPE and set to join Good Shepherds Minor Seminary school in Maralal.
By Muturi Mwangi
