Kitui County Governor Julius Malombe has allocated Ksh. 86.4 million for education scholarships for at least 11,795 needy learners across the county.
Speaking during the much-awaited bursary fund release ceremony held at the county headquarters in Kitui town, the governor reaffirmed his commitment and support to all learners, including those from needy families, citing education as the only known cure for poverty.
“My administration has increased the pro-poor fee support fund from last year’s 36 million shillings to 86.4 million shillings to meet the high demand for the bursary by our learners from economically disadvantaged families,” lamented the governor.
The programme benefited economically disadvantaged children, including total orphans, partial orphans, children with special needs, and children with both parents who are poor. The governor emphasised the right to free and compulsory basic education, a right enshrined in Kenyan Constitution Article 53(1), emphasising the duty of both governments to support its realisation.
Governor Dr. Malombe expressed concern over the high absenteeism rates among economically disadvantaged parents who continue to bear the burden of education for their children. He emphasises the importance of providing the necessary support to every child to achieve academic levels with minimal disruption.
This year’s programme focuses on improving access, retention, and transition rates in learning institutions, with secondary school learners as the primary beneficiaries.
Referring to the recently released Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) survey 2022, Malombe expressed concern over the county’s poverty index, which stands at 42.3%, which negatively impacts literacy levels, which currently stand at 72.3%, according to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics survey 2022.
Highlighting the significance of education, especially for the disadvantaged, Governor Malombe announced a noteworthy increase in vocational training centre trainees’ support from sh. 5,000 to sh. 10,000 per learner.
The fee allocations for learners range from sh. 5,000 to sh. 20,000 in this year’s comprehensive support programme. Encouraging broad collaboration, the county chief urged different stakeholders to unite in supporting education, emphasising its role in “creating a future for the children of Kitui.”
He also acknowledged other stakeholders who have directed resources towards supporting the education of the children. They include commercial banks, government bursaries, CDF, and NGOs that are providing invaluable support to Kenya’s children’s education, according to a statement.
By Denson Mututo
