Governor Kananu disburses Sh590 million bursary funds towards needy Students

Bright and needy students in Nairobi County will finally receive bursaries for their secondary education and Vocational Training students’ access education

This is after Nairobi Governor Ann Kananu on Sunday disbursed Sh590 million in bursaries to the students from poor backgrounds for the Financial Year 2020-2021

“ Today's beneficiaries were vetted by various Ward Bursary Committees (for ward bursaries), Public Primary School Boards of Management (for executive bursaries) and approved by the Nairobi County Education Bursary Board. I am happy to report that our bursary program process remains transparent and accountable,” she said.

From the Sh590 million, there is Sh382.5 million which will go towards the Ward Bursary Fund and Sh207.5 million for the Governor's scholarship programme.

Over the years, the county government has been allocating Sh297.5 million as bursary fund but in the financial year that started July 1,2021 the allocation was increased to Sh382.5 million.

City Hall operates two levels of bursaries including the ward bursary fund as well as the Executive or Governor's (executive) bursary fund.

The ward bursary fund is administered by each ward representative where each ward receives a standard amount to be disbursed to beneficiaries.

For the executive bursary, beneficiaries have to attend public secondary schools and not private ones to qualify for the bursary and must all be performers with only top three from public primary schools in Nairobi picked unless otherwise. 

The ward bursary funds will be distribute through cheques while the executive funds will be done electronically .

Raising concerns, Governor Kananu noted that Financial exclusion from education is an issue across Nairobi especially learners living in informal settlements , with direct and associated education costs barring brilliant children from poor backgrounds from accessing education.

Speaking on school unrest and fires, the county boss urged parents to guide their children and help them know the impact of the burining schools

“ We have to be our brother's keepers and have time for our children and let them understand the danger of starting school fires,” Kananu added.

Bursary scandals have always found their way at City Hall , with the MCAs and the Executive being at loggerheads over the issue.

In May 2018, MCAs and beneficiaries complained about the big number of dishonored cheques due to conflicting signatures and name mismatches.

In June 2018, it was revealed that Sh297.5 million worth of bursary funds were erroneously sent to a bank account belonging to the University of Maryland, Australia baffling the MCAs.

Explaining the issue, the executive said that accountants erroneously picked the health donor fund account instead of the bursary account.

Last September, MCAs raised queries over Sh297.5 million bursary funds that were allegedly used to pay garbage collection contractors and lawyers.

This came at a time when schools were set to reopen from October after been closed for seven months following the outbreak of the Coronavirus Pandemic in Kenya.