By Obegi Malack
obegimalack@gmail.com
The Ministry of Education through Equity Group Foundation and The Jomo Kenyatta Foundation (JKF) has awarded Elimu Scholarships to needy secondary school students from Kajiado West sub county.
The scholarship will benefit 18 students out of 123 students who applied. JKF sponsored half of the students with Equity sponsoring others.
Elimu Scholarship Program is sponsored by the Government of Kenya and World Bank in partnership with Equity Bank.
The scholarship caters for school tuition fee, transport, school kit and pocket money for the four-year education period.
Elimu scholarship programme is for from public schools needy and vulnerable learners. Others who were also considered were orphans, those with special needs and disabilities.
Ngong Equity Bank credit manager Benjamin Olukoye challenged the students to perform and give back to the community.
He said the sponsors will not allow underperformance of the sponsored children and the students should be role models to the community.
The students will also benefit from mentorship from outstanding role models.
JKF sales representative Millicent Olela said the programme was started to ensure needy children get an opportunity to get an education and also giving back to the community.
The Educational publishers Scholarship Programme improves access to education and transition through provision of scholarships and mentorship to academically promising Kenyan orphans and children from poor vulnerable backgrounds in public secondary schools.
Founded in 1968, Over 10,000 students have benefitted from the Programme since its inception.
Kajiado West Deputy County Commissioner Morekwa Morang’a said the beneficiaries selected for the 2023 cohort where deserving and their selection into the programme was based on solid, verifiable and objective criteria.
He said the community should educate children and do away with Female General mutilation and early marriage which affects education of children.
Kajiado West Education officer Philip Leruso said most students who benefit from sponsors forget the challenges they use to face when studying in primary level, he said the education office will track the performance of the beneficiaries.
Kajiado West Elimu branch champion Hellen Njuguna said the 18 applicants were the most deserving.
Face-to-face interviews and home visits were done before awarding the scholarships to the most deserving scholars.
FGM and early marriage survivor activist Nancy Milanoi OGW said one of the beneficiaries was an FGM survivor, she said the community should do away with the dangerous cultural practices.
One of the students who benefited from the Equity scholarship is Simpiri Saiko who scored 388 marks from Olgumi Primary School, he will join Nairobi school. He promised to continue performing to join university and study medicine.
Scholarship programmes in the country such as Elimu Scholarship and Wings to Fly continue to provide opportunities for equitable access to education in the country. This complements the Government’s efforts in ensuring that there is a 100% transition rate to secondary school.