- The bishop said cheques will be issued to the schools by Thursday next week.
- "We use the teachers from the respective schools to help identify the needy students because they know them and have their history," he said.
Image: DICKENS WASONGA
Two community organisations in Siaya have asked principals not to send home students from poor families who lack school fees.
Bishop Wasonga Foundation and Tiji Foundation have entered an agreement with the school heads, to give them time to pay third term fees for the needy students.
The two foundations operate within Gem subcounty.
They promised to clear all third term fees for students unable to do so.
Retired ACK Bishop of Maseno West Otieno Wasonga who is the patron of the foundation said they have partnered with Tiji Foundation to sponsor all needy students from Gem not drop out due to lack of school fees.
He spoke to journalists at his rural home in Nyangweso on Saturday.
In the past, Gem was known for having the highest number of professors in Nyanza but education standards have since fallen.
TiJi Foundation patron Jill Odende and the organisation's coordinator Caroline Ochanda flanked the bishop during the press conference.
They said already the education kitty has set aside Sh10 million to pay for the third term fees of identified students.
Last Monday, the two foundations signed an agreement with secondary school headteachers, through the Kenya Secondary School Heads Association that will see no needy student sent away from school due to lack of fees.
Ondede said bursary forms had already been given out to all secondary schools in Gem constituency, to be filled by the targeted students.
"The students we seek to support do not have to be orphans only. We have students who have parents but are unable to pay fees because of poverty and risk dropping out if not supported. Some have single parents," she said.
The bishop said cheques will be issued to the schools by Thursday next week.
"We use the teachers from the respective schools to help identify the needy students because they know them and have their history. This is the best approach to ensure we don't end up supporting students who are capable of paying fees," he said.
Wasonga said the falling education standards in Gem is due to lack of school fees, which is a problem facing most students because of poverty.
"We are also offering psychosocial support to the students. We have trained more than 70 prefects on counselling so that they can pass the skills to other students. We have realised mental health and psychological stress is a big issue in schools," he said.
The foundations are focusing on community empowerment by engaging and supporting programmes in health, education, agriculture and youth and women.
They currently work in Gem constituency but plan to expand their coverage to the entire Siaya county.
"People who needed help would come to me upon retirement, looking for support to pay fees for their children, food and I was not able to meet all their demands," Wasonga said.
"That's how the idea of the foundation was born and we now mobilise resources through the platform and channel it to areas of concern."
(Edited by Bilha Makokha)