Governor Sang defends county bursaries, calls for support of needy learners

Nandi Deputy Governor Yunita Mitei and Governor Stephen Sang on Sunday /MATHEWS NDANYI

Nandi Governor Stephen Sang has defended county bursary programmes, saying devolved units are best placed to identify and support needy students.

He said counties have the capacity to target the most deserving cases, saying limited funding means many students are often left out.

Sang spoke in Kapsabet town during the launch of bursaries for 7,911 learners in secondary schools and special needs institutions.

“Counties are the institutions with better capacity to identify the most needy students and ensure they access bursaries to support their education,” he said.

Under the first cohort, Nandi has disbursed Sh74 million, giving thousands of learners a lifeline to continue their studies.

The governor said education should never be disrupted by financial barriers.

“As a county, we have done our part to support learners, but this is a shared responsibility. We urge the national government to strengthen and expand bursary support so that no child is denied the right to education because of fees,” he said.

He said bursaries were more than just school fees: they were about protecting dreams, leveling the playing field and ensuring every child, regardless of background, has the chance to thrive.

The governor said the number of learners seeking bursaries keeps rising, underscoring the need for increased resources and stronger education policies.

Poverty, he said, remains a major cause of high dropout rates in some regions.

“What we give out currently helps to a great extent, but there is much more to be done to ensure all our needy learners access education,” Sang said.