• Governor Wycliffe Wangamati yesterday said Sh70 million has been set aside.
• Targets children who scored a minimum of 350 marks and have been called to national and extra-county.
More than 500 needy students from nine constituencies in Bungoma are to join Form 1 next year under the county scholarship programme.
Governor Wycliffe Wangamati yesterday said Sh70 million has been set aside to ensure children who scored a minimum of 350 marks and have been called to national and extra-county schools do not miss out on the chance to join the schools of their dreams for lack of resources.
"Requirements for one to qualify for the scholarship are that one must have attained 350 marks and above and has been called to a national or extra-county school," he said.
The county will vet applicants. Application forms are available at ward administrators' offices and on the county website.
Duly filled forms will be submitted to ward offices where the first vetting will be done at the beginning of December.
"Applicants are encouraged to pick their forms and submit before December 13. My core agenda since the beginning of my tenure has been to create policies that directly impact and change the lives of the vulnerable in society.
"Education is the only tool that effectively offers equality between the poor and the rich," Wangamati said.
The programme has seen 850 children from vulnerable backgrounds join high school, with 400 joining Form 3 next year and 450 going to Form 2.
The continuing students already in the program, are currently undergoing re-evaluation after submitting their renewal forms at the ward administrator’s office for fresh consideration.
To continue benefitting, one is to score a minimum of C+ grade in their exams and present a detailed report from their school on his or her behaviour, leadership, and co-curricular activities.
Besides the programme, Wangamati announced a spirited effort to ensure the 100 per cent transition from primary to secondary school succeeds.
The ward-based bursary programme has so far enabled more than 40,000 students, 550 from each of the 45 wards, to benefit from the Sh10,000 per student in boarding school and Sh5,000 in day school.
So far Sh43 million has been spent on the programme, the highest yet to be allocated to the bursary scheme.
Through this programme, the county is determined to lower high school dropout rates in the region that has been attributed to high poverty levels and teen pregnancies.
(Edited by F'Orieny)