Magoha was speaking on Wednesday during the launch of a Sh3billion scholarship program for secondary education that is set to benefit 9,000 needy students/FILE
NAIROBI, Kenya, Jan 8 – Education Cabinet Secretary Prof George Magoha has emphasized the need for MPs to ensure needy students are supported to pursue their dreams in institutions of learning through the funds allocated under the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF).
He underscored the need to give chances to those who were not only performing well but to the deserving.
“There those who need this scholarship genuinely, can you choose wisely,” Magoha said.
He was speaking on Wednesday during the launch of a Sh3billion scholarship program for secondary education that is set to benefit 9,000 needy students.
His sentiments were echoed by Education Principal Secretary Belio Kipsang who stated that the program targets those who cannot afford fees in secondary schools.
Kipsang challenged parents and guardians who can afford to do their part in ensuring their children go to the next level of education.
“This program targets those who cannot afford, as those who can, should do their part in ensuring their children go to the next level in learning,” he said.
During recent visits to counties, education ministry officials noted scholarships were crucial to boosting the government policy on 100 per cent transition policy from primary to secondary school level.
National Assembly Education Committee Chairperson Julius Melly urged the CS to provide lab equipment to schools, further challenging the ministry to ensure timely disbarment of capitation funds to schools.
Magoha underscored the need for the harmonization of bursaries citing duplication which results in a lack of coordination.
The CS emphasized the need for proper structures to be put in place to address the challenge.
He pointed out the need to create synergies for prosperity and sustainability of all initiated programmes.
Magoha stressed the need to map out the existing scholarships for better management and coordination.
“The Ministry will, therefore, establish structures to ensure proper coordination and regulation of all the scholarship programmes to ensure maximum benefits and utilization. This will enable us to create synergies for prosperity and sustainability of all scholarship programmes including the one that we are launching today,” he said.
Although the Free Day Secondary Education programme has turned out to be a massive success, there are still several households that cannot afford other expenses such as boarding, uniform and transportation costs, the CS noted.
“I therefore urge philanthropists to turn out in their numbers and support households that are unable to meet expenses outside of the Free Day Secondary Education programme, which the Government provides,” Magoha stated.
The Cabinet Secretary reiterated the government has not revised the existing fees guidelines.
“The Ministry is finalizing the preparations to release the Free Day Secondary Education grants per learner for tuition, operations and infrastructure improvement,” he said.
Magoha warned school managers against increasing fees urging them to instead use the capitation money provided to enhance the attainment of 100 per cent transition, improve the learning environment and ensure the right to education is achieved.
“Parents should only pay the amount of fees set by the Ministry and report incidents of any students turned away for not paying higher fees to their local education officials,” Magoha said.
He congratulated all the scholarship beneficiaries and urged them to take the opportunity accorded to them seriously.
“It is my hope that the scholars gathered here today will be great and useful people in our society in the future,” he said.
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