Parents with children in Nairobi county are in for a treat after Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja announced that he will be sponsoring students through a Ksh 1 Billion Scholarship Programme.
He revealed this when he attended a church service at Jesus Teaching Ministry in Embakasi on Sunday, January 15, where he stated that he had directed the distribution of bursary forms in the city through his County Chief Officers.
“I will sponsor all candidates who sat for their KCPE and performed well with over 350 marks, not for one term but from Form One to Form Four. That is the Governors scholarship,” he revealed.
“These full scholarships to support needy bright secondary school students from Nairobi County to access education in Public National, Extra-County and County Schools across the country for the full four-year secondary school cycle,” he added.
In what will be a relief to parents and guardians in Nairobi, in this academic year, Sakaja disclosed that he would distribute a total of Ksh1,025,000,000 in Executive Scholarships and Ward bursaries.
Each of the 85 Wards in Nairobi will receive Ksh 6M, up from Ksh 4.5M received in 2022, in Ward Bursaries.
While warning unscrupulous county officials, Sakaja noted that the process would be open and transparent.
“We will not condone corruption in Nairobi. And if we hear anybody trying to sell those scholarships or bursaries, they will go home immediately and they will be prosecuted,” he affirmed.
This move by Sakaja came on the backdrop of his school feeding programme being inculcated by the national government.
The project, which was the brainchild of Governor Sakaja and President William Ruto, was tabled in Parliament by ODM's Kakamega woman representative, Elsie Muhanda in October 2022.
"This House, therefore, resolves that the Ministry of Education, through the relevant State Department, immediately develops a school feeding policy to cover basic education pupils and sustain the program in order to ensure that children are maintained in schools for effective learning and to improve their well-being," read the order paper.
The Governor's move to sponsor students was well received by the County residents with the majority congratulating him.
"Good work super Governor, I am not a resident of Nairobi but you did a wonderful job," Masian Philipo commented.
A user by the name of Esther Mwaria was excited too with the initiative by the Governor,
"Receive blessings from parents and the needy students from Westlands who benefitted from the ones I was given to issue. Words are not even enough to express their gratitude,"
"A City of order, dignity and opportunities....Very well Governor!" Irungu Jackson lauded.
