Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi hands over a bursary cheque to school heads./HANDOUT
Wajir Governor Ahmed Abdullahi with teachers and students during the launch of this year's Sh130 million county bursary
The Council of Governors fought hard
to protect and defend the counties' role in promoting education and supporting needy
children, Governor Ahmed Abdullahi has said.
Unlike in previous years, this
year’s bursary disbursement faced unprecedented challenges.
The delay that was caused by a legal and
administrative disagreement between the Office of the Controller of Budget and the CoG disrupting the learning of thousands of students across the
country who solely relied on the bursaries.
So bad was the situation that CoG chairman Abdullahi at one
point issued a sharp warning to CoB Margaret Nyakang’o, threatening to take
action — including petitioning both houses of Parliament — to push for her
removal from office.
Speaking in Wajir town during the launch of this year's Sh130 million county bursary on Wednesday, Abdullahi said their efforts finally bore fruit.
He said that together with other governors, he took the matter with the seriousness it
deserved.
“This position led to prolonged consultations and what
I would describe as a very tough but necessary engagement between the CoG and
the CoB.
“I am pleased to inform you that we were able to
resolve the issue through the development and signing of a memorandum of understanding between county governments and the national government.”
The MoU outlines the shared
responsibility in supporting education, including the administration of
bursaries.
Abdullahi described the event as an important
milestone for the people of the county, noting that education remains a top
priority for his administration.
“As I have said before, we don’t want the issue of
bursaries to be compartmentalised. We want it to be regarded as a social
welfare matter. It is incumbent upon us to give an opportunity to others by
supporting them. As a county, we are committed to ensuring that every child,
regardless of their background, has the opportunity to pursue and complete
their education,” he said.
A total of 33,150 students from secondary schools
and tertiary institutions across the county applied for the bursary with 22, rsd670 students successfully awarded bursaries after what the governor described
as a rigorous vetting and selection process based on transparency and merit.
He thanked all the stakeholders involved in the
bursary process for their dedication and fairness in ensuring that the programme
benefits the most deserving.
“To our students, this bursary is not just financial
support but it is an investment in your future. I urge you to study hard,
remain disciplined, and use this opportunity to build a brighter tomorrow for
yourselves and for our county,” he added.
“I reaffirm our administration’s commitment to empowering our young people through education. We shall continue to push for more resources, advocate for supportive policies, and stand firm in defending the rights of every child to access education.”
