Nominated Senator Raphael Chimera has called for the management of bursary funds to be taken out of the hands of politicians and placed under the national government’s control to ensure equitable access to education for all Kenyans.
According to Senator Chimera, the substantial funds currently controlled by politicians in the name of bursaries could be better utilized to address education gaps in schools.
He argues that, when combined with existing allocations from the Ministry of Education, these funds could significantly improve the quality of education across the country.
“Right now, we have multiple bursary schemes being run by the president, Members of Parliament, Governors, and Members of County Assemblies (MCAs), with billions of shillings involved,” said the senator.
Using Kilifi County as an example, Chimera noted that the county allocates around Ksh 500 million annually for bursaries aimed at students who score 350 marks and above.
He estimates that if all 47 counties invested similarly, about Ksh 23.5 billion would be directed towards bursaries nationwide.
This figure does not include the additional contributions made by the president and MPs.
However, the senator highlighted weaknesses in the current system, noting that bursaries often only benefit those aligned with the political class, leaving many deserving students without support.
Chimera’s proposal aims to depoliticize the allocation of bursaries and create a more transparent and equitable system to ensure that all Kenyan children have access to quality education, regardless of their political affiliations.
