Ministry to release Sh1bn bursary cash

The government will release Sh1.1 billion for secondary school bursaries this month.

The disbursement will be based on student enrolment per constituency and the poverty levels in each region, said Education ministry public communications official Kennedy Buhere.

Mr Buhere said the money would  be allocated to needy students through the constituency bursary fund committees. Priority will be given to bright students whose parents cannot raise school fees, he said.

Mr Buhere said the ministry was in the last stages of processing the disbursements.

Kenya Secondary School Heads Association chairman John Awiti said the delay had disrupted admission of Form One students, “Headteachers are finding it very difficult to admit the Form One students on promises which we do not know when they will be fulfilled.”

REVIEW FORMULA

He continued: “We are requesting that in future the government should disburse the funds  during the holidays before the students report to school.”

At the same time, Mr Awiti urged the government to ensure only needy students benefited from the bursary funds. “We have come to learn that in a good number of cases, you find parents who are capable of paying fees and officials in various organisations are beneficiaries.”

Elimu Yetu national coordinator Janet Muthoni Ouko asked for a review the formula for disbursing the funds. “The system of bursary disbursement is not well targeted. The government targets a very large number of pupils with each getting a small amount which is not enough to cover the school fees,” Ms Ouko said.

She called for a new policy in which a few beneficiaries are listed and assisted until they complete school.

The funds, to be disbursed to 290 constituencies, were factored in the budget read in June last year.

Some political leaders have warned that needy students were likely to drop out of school due to the delay in releasing the cash.

“I have a list of close to ten students who are waiting for the cash, some are staying in the school at the mercy of the head teachers,” said Florence Mutua who is  women representative for Busia County.

Under the existing allocation procedures, the funds are to be disbursed to constituency bursary committees formed by sitting Members of Parliament.

Funds are allocated to the constituencies based on their enrolment. Consideration is also given to a constituency’s level of poverty. This means that constituencies with larger student populations and those that are in areas with higher poverty levels are allocated more.

This will be the first time the money will be disbursed to 290 constituencies. Previously, the country had 210 constituencies. The money is a reprieve to the students recently selected to join Form One but have not reported due to lack of school fees. This, he says, will not inconvenience the school and the student.

“when the money is released mid-way in the term, the child is not able to follow up on the bursaries and they end up missing it,”