Nairobi: Kwale County Governor, Fatuma Achani, has initiated the disbursement of Sh60 million in bursary funds to benefit 1,000 secondary school students throughout the coastal county.
According to Kenya News Agency, this development follows a prolonged suspension of bursary disbursements initiated by the Controller of Budget (CoB), Margaret Nyakang'o, over a year ago. Nyakang'o had instructed counties to halt issuing bursaries for primary, secondary, and tertiary students due to constitutional responsibilities, which has left many students unable to afford school fees.
The suspension began in January 2025 and was briefly eased following an agreement with the Council of Governors but was reinstated by a court order in February 2025. This has resulted in a legal battle where governors are seeking a temporary reprieve to assist needy students affected by the funding freeze. The CoB's office, responsible for overseeing public fund expenditure, has directed the 47 county governments to stop funding national government functions, such as secondary and tertiary education, unless formal Intergovernmental Transfer Agreements are established.
Despite the ongoing suspension, Governor Achani is actively advocating for fund disbursement to enable students to return to school. The 'Elimu Ni Sasa' initiative, which began over ten years ago, has previously benefited over 16,000 secondary school students and more than 6,000 students in higher education. The program's annual bursary fund increased from Sh400 million to Sh500 million in 2024 to support needy students across various educational levels.
During the official launch at the Kwale County Headquarters, Achani emphasized the importance of education in societal transformation and appealed to the CoB to permit counties to continue issuing bursaries. She highlighted the urgency of fast-tracking fund releases to prevent children from being denied education. Her appeal was supported by a parent, Mwanasiti Mwamamzaka, who urged President William Ruto to ensure adequate funding for counties to support school-going children and prevent issues like teenage pregnancies due to school dropouts.
Kwale County Assembly Minority Leader and Tiwi ward MCA Juma Mwachivyomo expressed gratitude for the revival of the bursary program and urged the CoB for timely fund disbursements. He praised the county government's ongoing support for students through bursaries and commended Governor Achani for her dedication to education and student welfare.