Machakos: Machakos Governor Wavinya Ndeti has launched a Sh120 million education bursary fund set to benefit about 28,000 needy students within the 40 wards of Machakos County. The Governor, while speaking during a bursary event held at Ivumbuni Primary School in Mumbuni North on Friday, emphasized that the county has set fair and transparent criteria to allocate the funds.

According to Kenya News Agency, the Governor remarked that her government uses a fair criterion in the assessment and identification of beneficiaries, with a public participation forum held earlier in the year to identify the neediest cases, particularly orphans and children with special needs. Since assuming office, Wavinya has issued bursaries to a total of 92,500 students, fulfilling her pre-election pledges to transform education by supporting programs that improve access to quality education for all children in Machakos.

The Governor highlighted that the bursary allocation has progressively increased from Sh80 million to Sh120 million since she took office, with plans to scale it up to Sh200 million in the coming years. She urged school principals in Machakos to exercise tolerance in cases of delayed fee payments, cautioning that sending learners home could lead to increased absenteeism and delinquency among less privileged children.

Wavinya acknowledged the Intergovernmental Agreement signed between the county and national governments to streamline bursary disbursements for secondary and university students. She noted that the bursaries directly help families by covering expenses such as books, food, and school workers’ salaries, reinforcing the government’s commitment to accountable governance. She further emphasized the importance of community support during tough economic times and urged leaders and education stakeholders to develop innovative solutions that enhance access to education and empower young people to become self-reliant.