Mandera Governor Ali Roba has launched a Sh120 million bursary fund to help bright and needy students.
He said school managers should make prudent use of the funds to benefit deserving students.
Roba spoke on Wednesday at the former county headquarters when he officially launched the 2021-2022 Mandera County Bursary Fund.
The funds will support students in secondary schools, colleges and universities.
The governor said school heads should not send those who lack fees back home.
He said the drought has had devastating effects on residents who majorly depend on livestock as their main source of income.
Roba said many parents are yet to recover from the huge loses.
“Due to the adverse effects of climate change resulting in long dry spells and invasion of locusts, farmers suffered and continue to suffer great loss of livestock and farm produce.
"The unimaginable suffering has made many families vulnerable. These are things school heads know very well. I hope they bear with the parents even as we chip in,” he said.
The county boss said over the last five years, his administration has disbursed Sh582 million to the education sector.
He said the funds have positively impacted the sector and students from poor family have had access to education.
Roba said since 2015, more than 81,969 students have benefited from the fund.
"I have also built the local capacity of our human resource needs and urge the incoming administration to improve if not maintain what I started.
“This being the last bursary in my administration, it is evident that the fruits of devolution have been realised,” he said.
The governor said he hopes the next government will also continue to support the children of Mandera in accessing quality education.
In 2019, the county launched the Girl Child Affirmative Action to support and send the top students from local schools to Turkey, to study various courses like medicine and engineering.
Roba said the programme is a success and the girls will give back to the society.
The UDM leader has however declared that he will be going for the Senate seat in the August polls, upon the end of his term.
He said residents should be united and continue to live peacefully and harmoniously.
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)
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