Lawmakers have formed a 17-member ad hoc committee to review and merge fragmented bursary schemes into one unified system.

The committee has 90 days to propose legislation establishing a consolidated framework for sustainable funding of basic, university, and tertiary education.

The initiative aims to address inefficiencies in Kenya’s current education financing system, which involves multiple actors including national and county governments, Constituency Development Fund, National Government Affirmative Action Fund, and other providers.

Minority Leader Junet Mohamed, who filed the motion in the National Assembly, stated the goal is “to streamline and consolidate education funding for provision of free and compulsory basic education through a national education fund”.

The committee will engage stakeholders, including students, institutions, funding bodies, private sector partners and government departments to identify overlaps and inefficiencies and propose a governance structure for the unified fund.

This follows National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetangula’s directive last year to collapse all bursaries and public scholarships into one fund, after Chief Justice Martha Koome highlighted inconsistencies in the current system.

“You find the MP is giving bursary, MCA is giving bursary, governor …  women … they all come from the same source,” Wetangula noted.

Burden on parents

Mohamed emphasised that despite multiple funding channels, parents still bear significant costs for boarding, meals, and learning materials.

He said the panel will “conduct a situational analysis of all existing education funds at national and county levels, map and analyse all existing education-related funds including government capitation”.

He added that the current allocation process lacks transparency and clear eligibility criteria, allowing undeserving students to receive bursaries while disadvantaging deserving ones.publibus ocres latus Catesul ticules solius ipte, nonum.

The members of the committee include Junet, Naisula Lesuuda (Samburu West), Mary Emase (Teso South), Stephen Mule (Matungulu), Elijah Kururia (Gatundu North), Amina Udgoon (Garissa woman rep), Omboko Milemba (Emuhaya), Eve Obara (Kabondo Kasipul), Titus Khamala (Lurambi), and Oncheke Charles (Bonchari).