Machakos Governor Alfred Mutua has promised students of his county that he will pay for all their college fees.
Mutua was speaking during the launch of the Machakos County Higher Education Bursary Fund on Wednesday, where he assured all qualified students that their education needs would be catered for as promised in his manifesto.
The Governor admitted it was a tall order but pledged his commitment to see through the project.
[caption caption="Photo of the Machakos County Higher Education Bursary Fund Launch "]
[/caption]
"As promised in my campaign manifesto, my government will pay school fees for all Machakos students who wish to pursue tertiary education from Certificate level to first degrees in accredited institutions.
"My government will pay 100% school fees for any Machakos resident who wishes to study for the following qualifications; Certificate, Advanced Certificate, Diploma, Higher Diploma, Degree and even select post-graduate qualifications," stated the Governor.
He, however, set conditions for those who wish to enrol in the programme, noting that they must be residents of Machakos.
"To qualify for the Scholarship Program, you have to be admitted to a recognized accredited institution in Kenya or currently registered in such an institution and must be a Machakos resident.
"This bursary program is not a cheap investment. We estimate to provide Scholarships worth 65 Million in the next few months but the total investment will be worth 350M – 400M per annum," he added.
He expressed optimism that the initiative would change many lives and create better opportunities for candidates who had just left school.
His sentiments came on the same day the 2017 KCSE results were released, where only 70,073 candidates obtained grade C+, the intake cut-off for universities, compared to 88,929 in 2016.
[caption caption="Governor Alfred Mutua During the Launch"]
[/caption]
