Some 102 pupils from needy families in Embu County who secured places in secondary schools are assured of their secondary education, courtesy of Government scholarships.
The pupils, 46 boys and 56 girls, who will have their fees paid and provided with personal effects during the four years in secondary school, are part of the 9,000 others to benefit from the government scholarships administered by the Jomo Kenyatta Foundation.
Embu West Deputy County Commissioner (DCC) Carolyne Imaya flagged-off the scholars aged between 13 and 14 and advised them to be good example to their peers and the society at large.
She said the scholars were selected in a transparent manner by subcounty committees that even visited the applicants’ homes to verify their socio-economic status to ensure only the very deserving cases were selected.
Embu County Director of Education Kosgei Kipruto said the 102 were whittled down from the over 1000 applicants.
He reminded the winners that they were very lucky and should focus on their studies so that the scholarships can change their life fortunes.
Emphasizing that they will only succeed in life if they are disciplined, Kipruto advised them to be wary of peers who may want to pressure them to try drugs or lure them into terrorism.
Jomo Kenyatta Foundation coordinator for Embu County Carolyne Sumba said they assessed the vulnerability of the applicants and also those with special needs.
Two of the scholarship winners Daniel Gitonga and Roselinda Mukami said they had given up ever joining secondary schools because of their state back at home and said the scholarships had renewed their hope in life.
By Steve Gatheru
