The Mandera County government has increased its bursary allocation for all secondary schools within the county in response to prevailing economic challenges faced by parents.
Speaking during a consultative meeting with stakeholders and representatives of secondary school heads, Mandera County Governor Mohamed Adan Khalif said the move that also include revising contributions for the “Elimu Kwa Wote” initiative, aimed at ensuring education for all.
“We acknowledge the emerging challenges that ensued from the last time we rolled out the ‘Elimu Kwa Wote’ initiative. Due to those challenges, we have had extensive engagements with education officials and heads of schools since we had to make sure that this noble program that has actually helped many vulnerable children does not fail,” said Khalif.
The adjustment will see the “Elimu Kwa Wote” fees contribution revised from 70% to 88% for all day schools, while boarding schools will maintain their current 60% subsidy with ongoing discussions expected to shape future adjustments.
During the meeting, Governor Khalif underscored the pivotal role of the “Elimu Kwa Wote” initiative emphasizing the program’s significance in supporting the community and preventing student dropouts resulting from financial constraints.
The county boss also drew attention to the challenges faced by teachers in the region, appealing to the national government for solutions to staffing issues and improvements in overall educational infrastructure.
Ali Hassan, the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association representative in Mandera County raised concerns over potential increased student enrolment due to the augmented bursary allocation calling on the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to address the shortage of teachers in the area.
