Hope for Embu bright, needy students as MCAs call for increment in bursary allocations

 Embu Ward Representatives have called for an increment of the budgetary allocation to bursaries in a bid to allay the eventualities of bright but needy children dropping out of school.

The MCAs called upon Governor Martin Wambora to set up a KSh 200Million kitty specially dedicated for bursary issuance and at the same time petitioned Embu Members of National Assembly to also increase the amounts they issue as bursaries.

Makima MCA Phillip Nzangi, while tabling the report of the Public Accounts and Investments Committee on the examination of the Auditor General’s report on the Financial Statements of the Embu County Education Support Fund for the year ended 30^th June 2018 said bursaries were not effectively reaching the intended beneficiaries.

Ruguru-Ngandori MCA Muturi Mwombo lashed out at parliamentarians for allegedly abdicating their duty of issuing bursaries and leaving the burden to Ward Reps and said this ought to be a collective responsibility largely shouldered by holders of the Constituency Development Fund (CDF). He said County Governments only supplements the MPs’ efforts in funding needy students with bursaries.

Evurore MCA Duncan Mbui echoed Muturi’s sentiments by urging Governor Wambora to prioritise issuance of bursaries due to the harsh economic times that parents were currently faced with. He said he had conducted a survey at the grassroots level and established that many households were struggling with school fees payments.

Funds delay

However, Majority Leader Michael Njeru revealed that the county was facing delays of release of funds by the National Treasury. He noted that the 2021/2022 Financial Year was almost at the halfway mark, but regretted that no funds for bursaries had been released. This delay was said to be a major frustration to bursary beneficiaries as some leave school without receiving their allocation.

Njeru who is also the MCA for Kithimu Ward also observed that the little funds available were not adequate to cover the thousands of needy applicants. He said only 40 per cent of bursary applicants benefit from the monies and therefore concurred with his counterparts that there was need to create a specialized kitty to handle county bursaries and allocate it enough funds.

The leaders unanimously agreed to push for depoliticization of bursary allocation, which they noted results to favouritism, nepotism and cronyism, which lead to issuance of cheques to non-deserving people.

The MCAs also vowed to push for amendment of regulations guiding bursary issuance to avoid scenarios whereby beneficiaries receive measly amounts that may not help in offsetting school fees balances.

STORY By MWINGI TIMES CORRESPONDENT, EDITED By MUSYOKA NGUI