Selected needy students in Murang’a have benefited from a Sh. 173 million bursary kitty from the county government.
The money will be shared by those already under Nyota Zetu scholarship programme and the needy learners awaiting to join form one.
The Nyota Zetu programme was established by the former county regime where a total of 3, 000 students who were enrolled in extra-county and national schools benefited with full scholarship.
Speaking during disbursement of the bursaries on Thursday, Governor Dr. Irungu Kang’ata said his administration has expanded the scheme to benefit more students.
The expanded bursary programme targets to benefit more than 17, 000 students drawn from both boarding and day schools.
The Governor disclosed that every ward will receive Sh. 1 million where the respective Member of County Assembly (MCA) will oversee distribution of the money to needy students.
The county government, Kang’ata said, will support those who emerged position one to three from every local public primary school in last year’s KCPE with Sh. 15, 000. “We have made changes to the scholarship programme which was started by my predecessor,” he said.
“This is to ensure more learners get assisted. The county bursaries programme will not only factor in learners enrolled in national and extra county schools but those in day secondary schools will also benefit,” he noted during the function which was graced by Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua.
The governor, further underscored his idea of supporting the top three performers from every public primary school saying it will encourage pupils to work hard in order to benefit from the programme.
“The top performers were also recently treated to a trip to the National Assembly in Nairobi. This was to encourage them to work hard and make them aspire to be future leaders of this nation,” he added.
Kang’ata encouraged students in day secondary schools to work hard saying it is their hard work that will determine their performance.
He cited schools such as Karega and Muthithi in Kigumo, Ndaka-ini in Gatanga and Mukangu in Kiharu that have been taking tens of students to universities despite being day schools.
The county government has also partnered with KCB, Family and Co-operative banks that will offer scholarships to 12 orphans.
By Bernard Munyao and Rael Mumbi
