To enhance access to secondary school education for all Kenyans, the government has tripled the number of Elimu Scholarships from 3000 last year to 9000 to ensure a 100 per cent transition.
Since its inception, the Elimu Scholarship has been able to benefit vulnerable students with full sponsorship from school fees, shopping, transport, and pocket money.
About 196 needy but bright students in Busia County are set to benefit from this year’s Elimu scholarship, sponsored by the Jomo Kenyatta Foundation.
Speaking at Amagoro village during home visits to selected students, the County Coordinator, Dr. Barasa Mayende, noted that the scholarship acts as an equaliser, giving hope to students from vulnerable homes.
“The main object of this scholarship is to give equal opportunity to students from humble backgrounds who might be deprived of such opportunities due to their family background,” said Dr. Barasa.
“This year, the government has increased the number of beneficiaries from 3000 in 2023 to 9000 in 2024, where 7000 slots will be shared among the 47 counties while 2000 go to refugee camps,” he added.
The sentiment was echoed by Teso North DCC Stephen Omondi Wambura, who urged both state and non-state actors to join hands with the government in ensuring more dreams become a reality for those from humble backgrounds.
“Access to education needs a multiagency intervention to be able to reach out to more vulnerable cases in society,” said DCC Wambura.
Wambura, who is the chair of the selection committee in the three subcounties of Teso North, Teso South, and Teso Central, assured the public that they will deploy the necessary mechanisms to ensure the deserving cases were not left out.
“We have set our eyes on the ground to ensure only deserving cases secure the few slots,” he said.
This comes after two civil servants, a teacher from Nambale and a chief from Matayos, tried to bribe officials to secure scholarship opportunities for their kin at the expense of more deserving cases.
The Sub-County Director of Education, Elizabeth Maragachi, added that the process was free and fair in the subcounty and that they have yet to receive any complaints as their main objective is to give deserving cases a chance.
“I will supervise the teams doing home visits and even deploy media to counter-visit homes to ensure cases of details and evidence alteration to fraudulently get the scholarship do not occur,” said Madam Maragachi.
Faith Ekirapa, who scored 374 marks at Amagoro Primary School, received unexpected visitors who were moved by the situation at their home. From sharing a small house with a family of eight to unemployment and sickness, which have pushed the family to abject poverty, unlike other cases, the committee was moved by the situation at Faith’s home.
“Based on the poverty index, Busia County deserves more slots, and maybe in the future, the government should consider increasing the number of counties with a high poverty index,” added Maragachi.
The government remains committed to establishing a scholarship governing body to mitigate cases of cheating by a few officials who collude with people of high status in society to benefit their families and friends.
By Absalom Namwalo
