- The latest round of beneficiaries brings to 3,150 the total number of students on the Governor’s scholarship.
- At least 35 students from each of the County’s 45 wards were picked
Image: JOHN NALIANYA
Two thousand students from Bungoma joining Form 1 in national and extra-county schools will be funded through secondary school by the Governor’s Scholarship.
The education fund supports bright but needy students from the county to join schools of their choice.
The brainchild of Governor Wycliffe Wangamati, the scheme's pioneer 500 beneficiaries are now in Form 4.
They are studying at Alliance High and Girls, Kenya High, Pangani Girls, Friends School Kamusinga, Kapsabet Boys, Lugulu Girl among others top schools.
Another 1,150 are now in Form 3 and Form 2 in various national and extra-county schools.
The latest round of beneficiaries brings to 3,150 total students on the Governor’s Scholarship.
Besides being poor, beneficiaries should have scored a minimum of 350 marks in the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education exam.
Students with special needs and those from regions with poor results are also considered for the County Scholarship for Affirmative Action and Equity.
This year, at least 35 students each from the county’s 45 wards were picked for the scholarship award.
The selection for the fourth cohort involved unannounced home visits to ensure only the very deserving cases are considered for scholarships.
“This is the only way to lift our people out of the vicious cycle of poverty,” Wangamati told the county assembly when he sought clearance to start the fund.
The governor told students last year during the award of scholarships that he was committed, both as a leader and as a parent, to shoulder the responsibility of ensuring every deserving child is kept in school.
"From today, you are not just your father’s daughter; you are not just your mother’s son; you are my sons and daughters too and children of the county," he said.
"Your well-being and schooling is our responsibility as a government and leaders and as you seek out your dreams, you will not walk alone," he said.
It’s only through education that we shall lift our people out of the vicious cycle of poverty, he said.
"Through education, the son and daughter of a peasant has an equal opportunity to become what they want to be, the same way a son of a minister chooses what to be in life. Through education, the poor and vulnerable in the community have a fighting chance in life and a place on the high table of opportunities."
He appealed for more support for the programme from people of goodwill, the private sector and development partners.