• Waiguru urged the national government to consider increasing the funding through various channels like setting aside conditional grants.
• The students, she said, receive about Sh2,000 to Sh3,000 each which is considerably low compared to students from other counties who receive up to Sh15,000.
Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has joined other Mt Kenya leaders in agitating for the equitable distribution of resources to the region through the one man, one shilling, one vote formula. https://rb.gy/rnxfh
Image: WANGECHHI WANG'ONDU
Kirinyaga Governor Anne Waiguru has joined other Mt Kenya leaders in agitating for the equitable distribution of resources to the region through the one man, one shilling, one vote formula.
The governor said funds allocated especially to cater for bursaries in Mt Kenya are insufficient thus causing a lot of untold sufferings to many needy students.
The students, she said, receive about Sh2,000 to Sh3,000 each which is considerably low considering students from other counties receive full scholarships and bursaries of up to Sh15,000.
Waiguru urged the national government to consider increasing the funding through various channels like setting aside conditional grants for counties and increasing NGCDF to cater the funding for bursaries.
The governor, who also chairs the Council of Governors, now wants distribution of resources to be allocated based on county population of which Mt Kenya registers one of the highest populations in the country.
"I want to join other regional leaders in rooting for the increment of resources in our region because the funds we disburse for bursary are insufficient and we end up allocating Sh2000 or Sh3,000 to each student. This is in sharp contrast to some other counties that cater full scholarships to their students," she said.
The governor said an increase in the funds will translate to education progression for many students in the region as each would receive about Sh5,000.
She added that insufficient bursary allocation has become a headache to many regional leaders and many needy students who end up missing the fund.
The governor spoke Wednesday in Ndia during the distribution of cheques worth Sh108.2 million to 40,565 needy students.
Beneficiaries of the sponsorship were drawn from all the 20 wards where 30,571 Secondary school students, 4,891 University students and 5,103 collage students received funding.
While assuring residents of her continued commitment in supporting needy students, the CoG chair said that her administration has thus far disbursed Sh256.7 million to over 50,000 needy students.
Waiguru said her administration will continue rolling out key programmes geared towards improving education standards across the county.
This includes a school feeding programme for ECDE pupils, distribution of learning materials and improving infrastructure for ECDE centres.
The governor added that TVET institutions will not be left behind as the county government is in the process of setting boards within the institutions that will help in improving training and service delivery.
On illicit brews, Waiguru said her government is in support of the legal framework currently being crafted by the regional counties in regulating the distribution and sale of liquor across the region.
She noted that the laws will go a long way in saving the future of the youths from the yoke of illicit brews and substance abuse.
Local MCAs present commended the governor for the timely distribution of bursaries saying students will not be sent home for fees.
Led by Kirinyaga assembly Majority leader Muriithi Kibinga, the leaders pledged continued support for governor Waiguru's administration.
Kibinga called out a section of local leaders who have been perpetuating propaganda to county residents that this season's bursary had been reduced.
He urged locals to give a deaf ear to such petty politics.
