Kisii County Governor Simba Arati has released bursary cheques valued at KSh77.8 million for Form One students and learners attending various Vocational Training Centres countywide, with the objective of enhancing learning opportunities for 18,622 students.
The governor, Arati, indicated that this will be the first time that VTC learners have got the bursary. In the past, disbursement of funds, the county allocated KSh167 million to students in Form Two, Three, and Four; funding for Form One was delayed as the county waited for admission into various schools following the KCPE examination.
At the Kisii Agricultural Training Centre, he explained that bursary aid would be used to help in offsetting school fees arrears for other parents or guardians. The governor was accompanied by Eric Ongeri, the Executive Committee Member for Education, and Victor Ombasa, the Chairperson of the County Assembly Committee on Education. Pressure was put on the Ward Administrators and members of the Bursary Committee to ensure funds were fairly distributed.
The governor, Arati, warned VTC Principals against the misappropriation of funds allocated to them. He urged them to ensure proper budgeting and gave an example of a corruption case where one principal used to allow fee payments through M-Pesa, after which funds were embezzled.
The governor further appealed to the Members of the County Assembly to allocate more funds that will help Gen Z students to enroll in VTCs and acquire some vital skills before enrollments in universities and middle-level colleges.
It prioritized orphans and bright students who came from poor families in the disbursement of the bursary. He encouraged villagers to identify bright children from poor backgrounds so that they could ensure such children got support to complete education.
The county is also keen on building Early Childhood Development Education classrooms and employing permanent teachers to lay a solid foundation for the young learners. He asked parents and guardians to ensure that children attended school and enjoy the increased bursary funds increased from KSh135 million to KSh225 million.
The county is also opening up areas with the construction of roads and classrooms for easy access and offering an ideal learning environment. Education governor Arati told off principals to use the bursary funds responsibly, as mismanagement should be a thing of the past.