Bondo Member of Parliament (MP) Gideon Ochanda has rejected a proposal by Siaya residents meant to collapse scattered bursary schemes, including NG-CDF, into a single pot managed by the Ministry of Education.

During public participation of the national budget estimates at the Siaya IEBC Hall, Siaya residents, led by Mathews Oluoch, had asked the legislators to push for their agenda of collapsing scattered bursary schemes into a single pot for the Education Ministry to fully run the programme.

The public feels the strategy would ensure free education and tame the misuse of the funds.

Oluoch claimed that lots of bursary resources that are in the hands of the president, governors, and NG-CDF are being misused and not fulfilling their intended purpose.

The consolidation proposal pushed by voices from Siaya was meant to pool resources to achieve equitable basic education.

Consolidating bursary funds

Ochanda noted that consolidating bursary funds and channelling them to the Education Ministry is not a bad idea, but schools will be starved, as witnessed in the capitation programme under their custody.

“The ministry has money for capitation entitled to each student, but the funds hardly get to schools, and if they do, they get there late, so it’s our NG-CDF bursary kitty that has sustained the running of the education institutions.

“Without our NG-CDF bursary kitty, some schools would have run down. Imagine if we take the NG-CDF bursary kitty and add it to the capitation that ends in schools in peace meals; the school will close down.”

Ochanda said, ‘With the current situation, I cannot support the idea but can only vouch for it when the Education Ministry proves its worth in terms of the disbursement of capitation funds.’

“As per now, the way it (Ministry of Education) handles capitation is still not right,” he said.

Ochanda spoke at St Paul’s Mitiro Mixed Secondary School in Bondo constituency during the disbursement of a Ksh23 million bursary for day schools.

“For the last 3 days, have disbursed Ksh 23 million to 7000 students in day schools to help the school run its operations in term two.”

The lawmaker said the NG-CDF bursary kitty worth Ksh 66 million is prioritised for bursaries in a year, and it targets day schools.

“So far, Ksh46 million has been disbursed to schools for terms one and two.”

Ochanda added that the NGCDF will this year disburse a total of Ksh 72 million for day scholar schools and tertiary institutions. More than 14,000 students in boarding schools and colleges will benefit from the bursary kitty.

National Administration Officers

Meanwhile, the National Administration Officers (NGAO) have warned parents about the consequences of allowing their school-going children to engage in gold mining expeditions.

Led by Bondo Sub-County Police Commandant Ken Mayaka, the administrators affirmed the need for children to be protected against gold mining activities and drug abuse.

‘When disaster strikes, the often-asked question is, Where was the government? We want to ensure that incidents that result in deaths and injuries in mines do not target school-going children.”

He asserted that parents should ensure that children do not get exposed to such dangerous activities.

“Parents must ensure the bursary funds committed to schools through NG-CDF do not go to waste,” Ayaka added.

“The government has offered scholarships and financial aid to vulnerable families, hence making schools more attractive and relieving parents from burden of paying fees.”

“Gold may bring money today, but education is what will sustain their economy tomorrow.”

According to Assistant County Commissioner for the Nyangoma division, Anjeline Immo, warned that anybody who has an affair with school-going girls will be prosecuted.

“I have come here to get rid of sex pests in the community, so whoever is tempted to cross my path will find it rough.”

ENDS…