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Beneficiaries are required to be residents of the county and must have qualified for a university degree in a local public university
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They should not have benefited from any other scholarship except from the Higher Education Loans Board
Image: Alice Waithera
Bright students from Murang’a county are set to benefit from a university scholarship programme.
The fund, which was started by prominent business people and professionals, will start this month.
It is being implemented by the Murang’a Budget and Economic Council that is chaired by Equity Bank’s former chairperson, Peter Munga.
Established by governor Irungu Kang’ata late last year, the council announced the decision in July.
Its members include businessman Jimnah Mbaru, Royal Media Services chairperson SK Macharia, former Kenyatta University Vice Chancellor Professor Olive Mugenda and John Mosonik, a board member of Safaricom and former PS for Roads.
Others are Deputy VC Academics, Research and Students Affairs at South Eastern Kenya University Professor Zipporah Ng’ang’a, chairperson of Kenya Healthcare Federation Kanyenje Gakombe and Equity Group board chairperson Professor Macharia Muthuure.
Former Kenya Ambassador to China Mary Muthoni, Dr Salome Gitoho and Dr Felistus Njuguna are also part of the council.
The scholarship will target one student in each of the 35 wards and comes in the backdrop of confusion over the implementation of a new university funding model that categorises students based on their financial needs.
“Priority will be given to vulnerable individuals including orphans, persons with disabilities and those in extreme need,” the governor said in a notice.
Beneficiaries are required to be residents of the county and must have qualified for a university degree in a local public university.
They should not have benefited from any other scholarship except from the Higher Education Loans Board.
The scholarships will be issued on September 22, together with cheques for Nyota Zetu programme, which provides bursaries to day school students.
The county also provides Sh10,000 to KCSE candidates from day secondary schools who qualify to join universities to help them enrol for their preferred courses.
Last year, 1,013 KCSE candidates benefited from the programme aimed at motivating them to enrol in universities and encouraging students in day schools to perform better.
“We want to show them that day schools students can also perform well and join universities. Learners need to know that what matters is the effort they put in their studies. Even those who fail to join boarding schools over financial constraints can still excel in their studies,” Kang’ata said.