The Kwale County government has released Ksh 95.6 million in bursaries to support 2,685 bright but needy students enrolled in national secondary schools. This initiative comes just days before schools reopen on January 6, 2025, for the new academic year.
Governor Fatuma Achani, who presided over the bursary issuance event at the county headquarters in Kwale town, reaffirmed her administration’s commitment to ensuring access to education for all. “We want the beneficiaries, whose parents cannot afford school fees, to focus on their studies as schools reopen for the first term,” she said.
The funds are part of the county’s flagship Elimu Ni Sasa bursary programme, which was launched in 2013 to support bright and needy students transitioning to secondary schools and universities. The programme has disbursed Ksh 500 million annually, benefiting students across Kwale’s 20 administrative wards.
“This disbursement will benefit 2,685 students in national schools,” said Governor Achani. She added that an additional Ksh 100 million will be released next week to support students in county-level schools.
The bursary funds are directly wired to schools to ensure transparency and efficiency. Achani urged beneficiaries to work hard in school, emphasizing that education is a vital tool for socio-economic transformation. “Developing education is key to tackling social vices like drug abuse, teenage pregnancies, and crime among the youth,” she said.
Governor Achani revealed that since the inception of devolution in 2013, Kwale County has fully sponsored 8,842 students to join national secondary schools. Annually, an average of 16,805 secondary school students and 6,000 college and university students benefit from the bursary scheme.
The governor cautioned that future disbursements would be performance-based. “Students who consistently post good results will continue to benefit, while those performing poorly will be discontinued,” she said.
The event was attended by Matuga MP Kassim Tandaza, Kwale Woman Representative Fatuma Masito, MCAs, and county executives, who praised the programme for its impact.
MP Kassim Tandaza urged students to take their studies seriously, describing education as the foundation for self-development and the realization of dreams. He also called on the county to allocate more funds to education.
Woman Representative Fatuma Masito highlighted the programme’s role in reducing child marriages, teenage pregnancies, and school dropout rates.
She lauded the initiative for transforming Kwale’s education landscape and improving school performance, as students strive to secure full scholarships from the county.
“The Elimu Ni Sasa initiative is a game-changer. It not only empowers the youth but also positions them for future opportunities,” said Masito.
Both leaders encouraged local political and community stakeholders to support the programme, noting its potential to significantly improve literacy and numeracy rates in the county.
