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The Ministry of Education is seeking to put in place a coordinated framework in provision of scholarships and bursaries in basic education.

The draft Basic Education Scholarships and Bursaries Bill, 2024 has proposed the establishment of the basic education scholarships and bursaries council.

According to the bill, functions of the Council will among others be to administer and coordinate basic education scholarships and bursaries to eligible learners and provide governance oversight in the provision of scholarships.

“The Council will establish criteria for identification of persons qualified for the award of scholarships and bursaries in basic education and continually develop, maintain and update a central database incorporating institutions or entities administering scholarships and bursaries, details of the beneficiaries, the eligibility status of each beneficiary and the amount awarded,” the bill states.

Eligibility status

 The council will also be expected to continually undertake due diligence on the eligibility status of beneficiaries or applicants, mobilise resources to ensure adequate funding for bursaries and scholarships as well as research, investigate, monitor and evaluate compliance with policies, criteria and regulations with regard to their administration.

The Ministry has proposed that the membership of the board to the council comprises chairperson appointed by the President, principal secretaries in Basic Education and National Treasury or their nominees, National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) and Council of Governors (CoG) chief executive officers or their representative nominated by the Kenya Bankers Association, with experience in banking.

It will also have representatives from recognised religious organisations, on a rotational basis, two independent members with experience in resource mobilisation, appointed by the cabinet secretary; and a chief executive officer who shall be an ex-officio member.

The Bill has also proposed that the council establishes and continually updates a central and real time database on administration of scholarships and bursaries in basic education in the country.

“The database will at minimum provide names and details of scholarships and bursaries awarding persons or institutions, beneficiaries including the learning institution, amount of scholarships and bursaries awarded to each beneficiary including the name of person or institutions giving the award and the needy status of applicants,” the Bill provides.

In determining the level of need of the applicants, the Council working with other in relevant government agencies will take into consideration the parental background, gender, school category, family size and composition, marginalisation and any form of disability.

Affirmative action

Similarly, the guiding criteria to award scholarships will include academic excellence, special talents and skills, level of need, affirmative action, category of school, amount of fees payable and whether the applicant is benefiting from any other scholarship or bursaries, including the amount of such benefit.