Bursary breaking illiteracy, poverty cycle in Nandi – Sang

Governor Stephen Sang of Nandi (r) receives a report from county officials on the bursary programme in the region

Nandi Governor Stephen Sang has mounted a strong defence of the county's education bursary programme.

Sang said it has transformed the lives of thousands of learners by keeping them in school and opening doors to better opportunities.

The governor said the initiative had enabled many students who would otherwise have dropped out of school or college to continue with their education, helping to break the cycle of illiteracy and poverty in families and communities across the county.

Sang said the programme's greatest achievement has been restoring hope to thousands of learners and their families.

"Every bursary awarded represents a child who stays in school, a dream kept alive and an investment in Nandi county's future. That remains the true measure of the programme's success," he said.

He described bursaries as more than financial assistance, saying they were an investment in dreams, opportunities and a brighter, more inclusive future for the county's children.

Sang spoke during the disbursement of Sh71 million in bursaries to the first cohort of beneficiaries under the County Government of Nandi's education support programme.

The funds will benefit about 8,000 secondary school students, including learners with special needs. They will ease the financial burden on families and ensure no child is denied an education because of financial hardship.

The governor presided over the exercise alongside Education executive Renney Kirwa and Education chief officer Beatrice Jemurgor.

He reaffirmed his administration's commitment to making education accessible to every deserving learner. "The funds available have been inadequate to support all learners who require assistance, but we have reached the neediest cases in all wards across our county," Sang said.

He said the bursary programme had recorded significant gains since he assumed office nearly nine years ago. Thousands of vulnerable learners had remained in school, while transition and retention rates had improved.

The programme, he added, has particularly benefited orphans, learners with disabilities and students from disadvantaged backgrounds, ensuring a lack of school fees does not deny them the opportunity to succeed.

Sang acknowledged implementation had faced numerous challenges over the years, including budget constraints, rising demand, delays in exchequer releases, Controller of Budget restrictions, court cases and limited resources.

"Despite these setbacks, we remained committed and continued to disburse bursaries, including Sh60 million during the last financial year under difficult circumstances," he said.

He noted that since the programme's introduction in the 2017-18 financial year, the county had steadily increased investment in education despite fiscal constraints.

The bursary allocation rose from Sh60 million at inception to Sh120 million in the 2023-24 financial year. The number of beneficiaries also increased from about 6,000 to approximately 12,000 learners annually.

"As a result, the number of beneficiaries increased from approximately 6,000 learners to about 12,000 annually, demonstrating our commitment to expanding access to education," he said.

Sang said although the county encountered significant financial and administrative challenges during the last financial year, including Controller of Budget directives and ongoing court cases, it still managed to disburse Sh60 million in bursaries.

"This underscores the county government's unwavering commitment to ensuring that deserving learners continue with their education despite financial and administrative challenges," he said.

He said the programme had made a lasting contribution by improving school retention, reducing dropout rates, easing the burden on vulnerable families and giving thousands of young people the opportunity to complete their education.

The governor added that the latest bursary disbursement forms part of the county's broader strategy to strengthen education and vocational training, with more than Sh846 million allocated to the sector in the 2026-27 financial year.

As Sang prepares to leave office at the end of his second term, he said continued investment in education would remain one of his administration's defining legacies.

Governor Stephen Sang of Nandi (r) hands over a dummy cheque to county officials for the bursary programme in the region

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