Give grants to needy students, says Magoha

Education Cabinet Secretary (CS) Prof George Magoha has read the riot act to education officials who might have engaged in malpractices that disadvantaged needy children from getting scholarships this year.

Yesterday, the CS, who spoke at Mitihani House in Nairobi, said the award of the 9000 scholarships by the ministry through the support of the World Bank-funded Secondary Education Quality Improvement Project (SEQIP) concluded on Monday and was above board.

He disclosed that a further 9,000 will benefit from the same scholarships in 2021, bringing the total number of beneficiaries to 18,000 at a cost of Sh3 billion.

“I am optimistic that needy candidates from the 110 sub-counties and 15 urban areas with informal settlements will be awarded the scholarships and will join Form One in 2020,” reckoned the CS.

He, nevertheless, urged children from humble backgrounds who qualified but locked out of the exercise unfairly should lodge complaints by visiting his Jogoo House office for a follow-up.

“I have no kind words for any thief at all. Those children from shanties in Kibera, Mathare and others who qualified must be considered. We should cater for all poor children without discrimination,” he stressed.

He said the Government is doing all it can to build more classrooms, laboratories and other infrastructure in public secondary schools at a cost of Sh8 billion.

He also urged other education stakeholders to step in and help expand the necessary infrastructure in schools.