Poverty locking bright learners from Form One

President Kenyatta (centre), Education CS Fred Matiang'i, Equity Bank chairman Peter Munga, Equity Bank CEO James Mwangi at the Safaricom Indoor Arena where 2,000 students received scholarships under the Equity Bank's Foundation Wings to Fly on February 5, 2016. More poor yet needy students are still at home waiting for help. PHOTO | RAPHAEL NJOROGE | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Some have been moving move from one office to another in the hope of getting financial aid but are the doors of opportunity are yet to open.

  • Many have missed on scholarships such as those offered by the KCB Foundation Scholarships and the Equity Group Foundation among others.

  • Still more have missed out on the publicly funded Constituency Bursary Funds.

Their peers are already in school acclimatising with the new environment after they were admitted to various secondary schools, but the poor, needy candidates are still at home, praying and hoping that someone will come to their rescue so that they can join Form One and pursue their dreams.

After toiling for eight years in primary school and passing with flying colours, many poor students are faced with a new challenge — raising the money they need to join Form One in the top schools where they were admitted.

Some have been moving move from one office to another in the hope of getting financial aid but are the doors of opportunity are yet to open.

Many have missed on scholarships such as those offered by the KCB Foundation Scholarships and the Equity Group Foundation among others.

Still more have missed out on the publicly funded Constituency Bursary Funds.

BURSARY FUND UNDER POLITICIANS

All have one question — where will their help come from? Many, however, have no answer to that question.

The Ministry of Education, which used to administered bursaries in the past, has advised needy students to seek the help from politicians who, two years ago, took over the management of the bursary fund.

Various counties have set up bursary funds and allocated millions of shillings to the scheme but this has not been enough to benefit all the needy cases.

On Friday, President Uhuru Kenyatta admitted that there are many un-coordinated efforts to provide bursaries.

“It is time we streamlined these efforts,” he said when he presided over the awarding of scholarship to 2,000 Wings to Fly beneficiaries at the Safaricom Stadium in Kasarani, Nairobi.

He directed the Ministry of Education to establish a Board of Trustees that will be charged with the responsibility of coordinating all sponsors and philanthropists for better and effective management of bursaries and scholarships.

A member of the Education Committee in the National Assembly, Mr Godfrey Odanga, revealed that for the last two financial year, constituencies have not received cash for bursaries.

Mr Odanga, the MP for Matayos, accused the Budget and Appropriation Committee for failing to allocate funds for bursaries. The committee is chaired by the Rev Mutava Musyimi.

“It is sad that for the last two years, funds for bursary have not been captured. Each sub-county was to get Sh2 million,” the MP said.

He acknowledged that failure to budget for the bursaries had affected MPs as they had to use CDF to give bursaries, which may not be sufficient to reach all needy students.

Some governors have also launched county bursary schemes to respond to the large number of students who fail to get one from the other private and public initiatives.

Equity Foundation chairman James Mwangi asked the government to provide free secondary education, saying that there are many more students out of school who are in dire need and cannot afford to go to school.

Statistics indicate that about 1.9 million children aged six to 13 years old are out of school and another 2.7 million aged 14 to 17 are also out of school. The fore are meant to be in primary and the latter in secondary schools. Most drop out due to poverty.

US ambassador Robert Godec observed that in helping young people get an education, Kenyans and other well–wishers were not only investing in the beneficiaries and their families but also in the future of Kenya, Africa and the world.

The government has allocated Sh12,870 for each student in secondary school which translates to Sh32 billion each year for 2.34 million students.

The 759,603 out of 927,401 students who sat for their KCPE examination last year have until February 10 to take up the offer or lose their chances.

For many, the decision on whether they will take up the offers will depend on the generosity of a well-wisher.