- Wamatangi said parents and guardians of needy students get stressed when taking their children to school and increased funding will provide relief to them.
Image: AMOS NJAU
Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi has announced a doubling of the bursary fund to Sh200 million to be disbursed in January before schools reopen.
Wamatangi said parents and guardians of needy students get stressed when taking their children to school and increased funding will provide relief to them.
“Kiambu county is ready to transform the education system by allocating enough resources to ensure smooth service delivery and help parents and guardians struggling to take their children to school," he said.
He said very few learners have been benefiting from full scholarships and that it was prudent for the bursary kitty to be increased to have more beneficiaries.
The governor said plans were underway to construct 160 new ECDE classrooms that will have an office, sleeping area, and a modern kitchen to facilitate the feeding programme.
He said that the construction of more classes will go a long way in promoting education and equipping young pupils with early skills for future careers.
Wamatangi recently said his administration will launch a free feeding programme for ECDE.
He said he will strike a working formula with elected leaders for all students in the future to be incorporated into the free feeding programme.
"I will enrol in a feeding programme for all students in the county and I will work with elected leaders, "Wamatangi said.
Kalimoni ward MCA Godfrey Waiyaki Mucheke said the Sh200 million for bursary allocation will be possible through a supplementary budget that will be passed.
Mucheke said the increase in allocation means more Kiambu children will benefit and the government should continue creating more reforms in the education sector.
Uthiru MCA Eric Ndung’u said the increase in bursary allocation means more children will benefit.
“With Sh200 million, students will get more funding and this will reduce the number of school dropouts and impact the education system," he said.
Kiamwangi MCA Kung’u Smart urged the governor to continue reaching out to all stakeholders to ensure smooth service delivery.
He said that education remains one of the key catalysts for development.
“Wamatangi is ready to make Kiambu great through various reforms and we are fully behind him, ‘he said.
Wamatangi recently appointed Bibianne Waiganjo the Education, Gender and Culture and Social Services executive and she was approved by the county assembly.