KCB foundation to offer scholarships to needy children/FILE
The KCB Foundation has set aside Sh30 million for the full scholarship programme where the beneficiaries have their entire four-year school fees fully paid.
While making the announcement, KCB Company Secretary David Malakwen said that the beneficiaries will have an added advantage to sharpen their work and communication skills by having a holiday mentorship programme.
“KCB Foundation is very keen at promoting the education sector. We believe that we can only achieve our economic blueprint, Vision 2030 if we have a fully literate population,” Malakwen said.
Statistics from the Ministry of Education indicate that primary to secondary school transition rate is still low at 55 percent by 2010.
“Despite government’s efforts to subsidise secondary school fees, we still see thousands of secondary school students sent home for lack of school fees while others drop out of school all together and this has led to vices like early marriages,” Malakwen noted.
Presently, national and provincial school fees ranges from Sh45,000 to Sh136,000 per year which is beyond reach for many parents.
Research also indicates that despite many families accessing bursaries especially from the Constituency Development Fund, the pressing burden of secondary school fees still prevents many students from attending secondary schools.
Currently, there are 170 students who have benefited from the scholarship from form one to four, a number that will more than double to 370 students after this year’s selection.
The interviews for the scholarship will be conducted across all the 47 counties and all those interested are advised to visit any KCB branch for more information.
“The cut off points have been adjusted for each county to reflect the actual performance in the county,” Malakwen said.
Interviews shall be conducted on February 9 and the successful candidates will be notified within five days.
The KCB Foundation scholarship programme began in 2008 with 10 students and has since increased to 200 this year.
