The government should review the rules for the Elimu Scholarships so that hundreds of poor students can benefit, Gilgil MP Martha Wangari has said.
Wangari said the programme which is also funded by Equity Bank was unfair to some constituencies in the disbursement of the school fees.
She said Gilgil which had one of the highest poverty levels in the country had benefitted from seven slots leaving hundreds of students to suffer.
“When Parliament resumes I shall raise the issue as we do not understand the formality and procedure used to support bright but needy students,” she said.
The MP spoke in Gilgil town on Monday after disbursing a Sh3.8 million towards fully supporting 88 needy students in various secondary schools.
“The bursary funds for this constituency cannot assist all the needy cases and thus the need to make sure that the Elimu Scholarship is fairly used,” she said.
Wangari added that the area CDF had set aside an extra Sh6.3 million to be used to partially support students in their secondary and college education.
She said that there were over five slums in Gilgil which hosted tens of bright students and the only way of supporting them was through education.
During the function that was attended by the students and their parents, the MP put on notice some school principals who had already increased their fees.
She said that her office had already recorded tens of complaints over the illegal fee structure and challenged the Ministry of Education to act.
Wangari said that plans by the government for 100 per cent transition from primary to secondary were in jeopardy if the issue of school fees was not addressed.
“The President has reiterated that secondary education is free but we have learnt some school heads are illegally increasing their school fees,” she said.
Gilgil Traders Association chairman Charles Karanja said that they were ready to partner with the MP to sponsor more poor students.
“The best gift that any parent can give a child is education and that is why as Gilgil community we shall make sure that all the bright students are given a chance in class,” he said.
