Some 136 bright and needy students have benefitted from the Elimu Scholarship program through the Jomo Kenya foundation in collaboration with the World Bank and Global Partnership for Education in West Pokot county.
The group was selected from a list of more than 100 applicants who sent requests to the Jomo Kenya foundation through the ministry of education to be considered for the scholarship.
Beneficiaries are students who sat for their Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exam last year and got 270 marks and above.
Additionally, learners from vulnerable and marginalized groups who scored 250 marks or above were also eligible.
Some of them were on the brink of suspending their education due to the inability of parents to pay their school fees.
Speaking during the flagging off of the students at the West Pokot Ministry Education offices in Kapenguria town, the county director of education Simon Wamae said that the Elimu scholarship is a testament to the government’s dedication towards achieving a complete transition of all students to secondary school.
‘‘The county had been allocated 136 slots for scholarships and 1054 applicants applied to be considered in the sponsorship.
There was a committee which was appointed which included all stakeholders involved in matters of education and that the group sat down and used a certain eligibility criterion for consideration, which had been given by the government and were able to get 136 beneficiaries out 1054 applicants,’’ Wamae said.
He mentioned that numerous challenges were faced during the interviews, and among them was the issue of the region’s terrain consisting of hilly landscapes and remote areas, which posed difficulties for the selection committee to reach the homes of the selected beneficiaries, but they tried and were able to reach all the homes of the selected beneficiaries.
During the interviews, Wamae expressed his concern about the language barrier as the parents and guardians of the applicants’ encountered challenges in effectively expressing their thoughts and ideas, which ultimately necessitated the presence of a translator.
He said West Pokot sub county received the highest number of scholarship because it had the highest number of candidates who sat the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exam last year compared to other sub counties.
“For example, Pokot Central sub county received 25 scholarships, Kipkomo – 30, Pokot South – 24, Kacheliba 8, while Pokot North received 8 scholarships,’’ Wamae said.
To secure eligibility, the Director said students were selected putting into consideration if they are Orphan or they come from marginalized groups in the county such as the Sengwer or the Cherangany community.
Wamae said despite the hurdles, the mission to ensure fair and transparent selection was unwavering.
He urged the parents of the children who did not receive the scholarship to make sure they take their children to school, emphasizing that the government’s stance is that all children of school-going age should be enrolled in school.
He urged other well-wishers to reach out to the less fortunate children through education sponsoring, emphasizing that the region has the highest poverty rate.
According to Kapenguria Division Assistant County Commissioner (ACC) Ruth Wachera, the selected candidates comprise 23 girls and 18 boys, a testament to the program’s commitment to gender balance in educational opportunities.
Wachera further said the eligibility of the students was assessed on dual criteria of vulnerability and financial need, ensuring that aid reaches those who need it most.
‘‘The selection of beneficiaries involved a lot of activities including physical home visits to the homes where the students live,’’ the ACC said.
She indicated that there will be a continuation of monitoring the academic progress and even offering mentorship programs to the scholarship recipients, guaranteeing their achievement in school.
West Pokot County Jomo Kenyatta Foundation Co-Coordinator Alexander Chebaibai, said that the scholarship recipients would be supported throughout their secondary education.
‘‘The scholarship entails paying of school fees, transport, pocket money and other requirements for high school education to ensure their continuity is not interrupted,’’ Chebaibai said.
He said through the Jomo Kenyatta Foundation, parents, guardians and scholarship recipients will receive mentoring to ensure the students’ educational success.
Abraham Lomeri joyfully celebrated the success of the child he had been supporting in their education, as they were awarded a scholarship due to being an orphan.
He said that he can attest that the children who got the scholarship are indeed vulnerable and would not have continued with their education were it not for the scholarship.
Ann Chesiro, another parent, expressed the challenges she has faced in educating her children, resulting in many of them being unable to pursue their studies due to their vulnerability.
She further expressed her gratitude to the Jomo Kenyatta Foundation for their invaluable support in providing a scholarship for her child’s education.
Joel Chelot, a student and a beneficiary of the scholarship program, achieved a remarkable score of 389 marks in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education.
He shared his story, emphasizing the crucial role the scholarship will play in enabling him to pursue secondary education.
Chelot said without the scholarship, his parents would have faced significant challenges in enrolling him into secondary school.
‘‘I thanked the government for the scholarship,’’ Chelot said.
He recommended that those children who obtained the scholarship, just like him, dedicate much effort to their studies in order to be capable of supporting other children and parents in the future.
Berly Ashley, who also received the Elimu scholarship, attended Tilak primary and garnered 379 marks in the Kenya certificate of primary education.
She shared her experience of how the Elimu scholarship proved invaluable when she had lost all hope of finding a way for her guardian to afford the school fees once school reopened.
Ashley emphasized that, had it not been for the scholarship, she might have discontinued her education.
The Elimu scholarship was established four years ago by the government under the Jomo Kenyatta Foundation and aims at enabling students from vulnerable backgrounds to get empowered through education.
By Anthony Melly
