Kiambu governor launches Sh500 million bursary

Kiambu Governor Kimani Wamatangi inspects Ngenia-Riagithu Road in Ngewa Ward, Githunguri Sub-County. [George Njunge, Standard]

Kiambu county government has launched Sh500 million bursary to support bright but needy children.

Governor Kimani Wamatangi said the new programme will see beneficiaries receive assistance three times in an academic year.

Wamatangi revealed plans to enhance the bursary kitty to Sh1 billion in the next one year.

The function held at the county headquarters was attended by Members of County Assembly.

The governor assured that he will fulfill his election pledge of providing education to all, irrespective of their social standing.

He said the county government has awarded bursaries to more than 77,000 beneficiaries across 60 wards.

"This year, we aim to increase the number of beneficiaries and enhance the amount allocated to each student. We have set a minimum of Sh5,000 for day school students and Sh10,000 for those in boarding schools," said the governor.

The governor promised to give special attention to orphans to ensure that the amount provided is sufficient to sustain them in schools.

He emphasised that the bursaries are distributed openly and in public places, to ensure transparency in the process.

"This approach guarantees that the bursaries are awarded to deserving individuals based on their needs and academic performance," he said.

The governor said the county has managed to enhance the bursary fund despite receiving the same allocation as previous administrations.

He attributed this to prudent use of public resources, which has eliminated wastage and corruption.

"These efforts have consolidated funds to support various programmes, including the bursary scheme. These funds have always been available; the only issue was that they were being plundered with individuals lining their pockets with public funds," he said.

Wamatangi announced that his administration has embarked on overhaul of the Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE) sector.

This includes modernising all 524 ECDE centres in the county by 2026.

He said the county government rolled out school feeding program to ensure a conducive learning environment and a solid foundation for students.