It is a boost for education in West Pokot as the county government disbursed Kshs 500million to benefit 51,000 students across various institutions from secondary schools to tertiary institutions.
According to the area governor Simon Kachapin who led the exercise at Chesta Secondary School, said that for decades, the Pokot community in Kenya’s arid North Rift region has been battling with several challenges that left many to forego going to school,citing retrogressive practices like cattle rustling which the community has now eradicated replacing with embracing education.
Governor Kachapin said that West Pokot county is among one of the marginalized regions by previous regimes after Kenya got self-rule. He added that the launch and continuation of bursary disbursement is one the key strategies to enable several learners complete their learning without itches. Adding that majority of the residents are poverty stricken and that it is their mandate to cushion.
In the past the region experienced frequent school drop outs and early marriages and that since the introduction of bursary the county has seen increased enrolment of learners and reduced drop outs.
Governor Kachapin says the bursary program is part of a broader plan to end marginalization and build long-term peace in the region and battle high illiteracy levels.
Kachapin emphasized that despite limited resources, his administration will continue prioritizing education as the most effective solution to sustainable economic development in future.
He said that the county has also pumped more resources to the Early childhood Education,saying this year they have released over ten thousand bags of fortified porridge to feed ECD learners to boost retention.
He added that they allocated Kshs 92 Millon to boost the ECD infrastructure. Rebecca Kide the County Executive Committee (CEC) Member for Education, thanked the county assembly for passing the bursary bill that has now seen vulnerable learners, orphans, children from banditry-prone areas, and families without stable income have a smooth learning.
Michael Kikia an elder and also a parent from the volatile borders of West Pokot and Elgeyo Marakwet say that the bursary will assist majority of residents who have been displaced by the frequent border conflicts and banditry to enable their students have chance to learn.
Kikia said that the county to continue issuing the funds failure to which many might drop out.
Hosea Krop a beneficiary and University student said that the belt along volatile borders from Chesogon to Kainuk has seen improvement in enrolment since the introduction of the bursary. He says has been affected by the border conflicts but the County bursary has assisted him continue with learning.
Esther Chenangat and Eunice Rengetyang both parents say the program gives new hope to single mothers and a chance to educate their children.
