Thousands to benefit from Kilifi's Sh350 million scholarship fund

Governor Amason Kingi has directed the County Scholarship Committee to channel Sh350 million towards bursaries for students in universities and colleges.

Students joining secondary schools will also benefit from the fund.

Speaking in Kilifi town yesterday, Mr Kingi said the move was aimed at ensuring that those in great need got scholarships.

“We want to give priority to the education of our children by addressing school fees challenges,” he said.

The governor’s directive comes barely a week after it was announced that more than 600 students from Ganze constituency studying in different universities had deferred their studies while others had dropped out due to lack of fees.

However, the scholarship locked out students who wanted to study courses such as hairdressing, driving and tailoring.

Establish strategy

Education and ICT Executive Gabriel Katana said the county government would establish a strategy to support bright and needy students.

Prof Katana said the county would support the students depending on the fees structures and other requirements of the beneficiaries.

Some 1,428 students from the county will join national schools this year.

Katana said the county government would ensure consistency and timeliness in paying school fees for the beneficiaries so that no students missed their classes.

“Delays and inconsistent payment have led to poor performance among students as they spend most of the time at home,” he said.

He added that the county government would also establish a portal for students to access information on how to apply for scholarships.