Needy students from Kiambu County are set to benefit from bursaries worth Sh100 million from the county government.
The devolved unit allocated Sh500 million for bursaries this financial year to support vulnerable learners with Governor Kimani Wamatangi announcing that he intends to raise the bursaries kitty to Sh750 million in the future to reach more students.
Speaking in Kiambu town during the distribution of bursary forms to county bursary committees drawn from all 60 wards, Wamatangi said each beneficiary will receive a minimum of Sh5,000.
"Before I was elected, the county would issue bursaries worth Sh100 million annually. Currently, bursaries are being disbursed in five tranches of Sh100 million each," Wamatangi said.
The governor said with the hard economic times that have persisted over the years, more parents are seeking bursaries as they seek to educate their children, creating stiff competition.
He called on the bursary committees to be on the lookout for some rogue members out to mint money from desperate residents in the issuance of bursaries.
"I want to show Kiambu people that work can be done right, fairly and truthfully, and be good work," he said.
He noted that despite the recommended allowances for the bursary committees set by the Salaries and Remuneration Committee (SRC), his administration will consider providing members with hardship allowances to support their work of identifying and vetting needy students.
He further noted that the county government has constructed 109 ECDE centres with four classrooms, an ablution block for both girls and boys, an administration room, a play centre and a kitchen in every public primary school.
They are also equipped with furniture, playing equipment and electricity, and will also be provided with technological gadgets such as tablets.
A feeding programme sees all ECDE learners fed with eggs, fortified porridge and yoghurt every week.
Ting’ang’a MCA Lawrence Mwaura who is the chairperson of the education committee in the county assembly said they will continue supporting the governor to ensure all children access education.