100 needy Taita Taveta students get scholarship to join Form 1

It is a dream come true for Enock Mwanzia as he reports for Form 1 at Dr Aggrey Boys Secondary School in Wundanyi, Taita Taveta county.

Mwanzia, a resident of Eldoro in Taveta, scored 361 marks in the 2022 KCPE exam. His dream of becoming an engineer was nearly cut short by lack of school fees. But he was selected to benefit from the county government scholarship.

He is among 100 beneficiaries of the Sh15 million County Comprehensive Secondary School Scholarship Programme.

The 15-year-old soft-spoken boy told the Star in an interview on Monday that the scholarship award came as a miracle, saying he had given up on joining Form 1.

“I'm very excited to have gotten this chance out of many applicants. I grew up in a very difficult situation where even affording food was a challenge," Mwanzia said.

He said problems started in 2013 when his single mother started ailing and he was forced to balance between going to school and taking care of her.

“I did not have enough time to study due to home chores, probably I could have scored higher marks. However, I did not give up even when things were tough,” he added.

With no steady source of income, Mwanzia said, life became difficult and he had no hope of pursuing secondary education.

In Mrabani village, a few kilometres from Mwanzia’s home, Ruth Mzee is also a beneficiary of the programme. She believes her education star will now shine further when she joins secondary school.

Ruth, an orphan, scored 340 marks in the 2022 KCPE exam but her aunt whom she lives with could not afford to take her to secondary school.

“My dreams have been rekindled and I am hoping to do better in the next level. I am grateful for the opportunity,” she said.

While awarding the scholarships at his Mwatate office on Monday, Governor Andrew Mwadime said the beneficiaries were selected on the basis of vulnerability.

"Beneficiaries were subjected to a rigorous vetting exercise to ensure the neediest are awarded,” he said.

Mwadime said priority was given to marginalised groups, orphans, those brought up by single parents and parents with disabilities.

The scholarship, Mwadime said, will include full school fees, uniforms and stationery for those joining Form 1.

The county boss said that his administration is committed to uplifting the county's education standards through various initiatives and partnerships.

He challenged the beneficiaries to work hard to attain university entry points.

"If you mess with these four years in secondary school, you will mess with your future. Go and work hard for a bright future and make us proud," he advised the students.

Deputy Governor Christine Kilalo urged the beneficiaries to shun negative vices that may interfere with their studies.

She said the scholarships are key in providing a level playing field for bright students from underprivileged families.

Kilalo warned the students that they risk losing sponsorship if they post dismal performances or cases of indiscipline are reported against them.

"This is your golden opportunity to excel in academics. If you post poor results you risk losing sponsorship to another deserving hardworking student," she warned.

Further, she appealed to school heads to retain the sponsored students, especially when there is delayed funding from the exchequer.