Kakamega Governor Fernandes Barasa has flagged off a team of 89 students from the county who will benefit from scholarships worth Sh54 million.
"The financial support will be released every year to children from vulnerable families and will cover school fees for the full duration of the students' courses, as well as their upkeep," Barasa said.
The governor spoke when he met the students and their parents in Kakamega town on Monday.
Barasa said 333 students have benefited from the programme since 2022.
"Since the partnership with Access Kenya began in 2022, the county has so far disbursed Sh250 million under the programme," he said.
The current group is the fifth cohort and comprises students pursuing different courses in various fields.
Barasa said the county also spent Sh180 million on bursaries in the 2025-26 financial year to support students in basic education institutions.
Of this amount, Sh150 million went to secondary school students, while Sh30 million supported students in county polytechnics.
Barasa added that beneficiaries of the county's education support programme will be closely monitored based on their performance at the end of every term.
He said the first group of students supported through the Access programme is expected to graduate this December.
Access Kenya Director Antony Mutivane said 681 students applied for the programme from the four counties of Kakamega, Busia, Bungoma and Vihiga.
"Almost 90 students were selected from Kakamega county, while the remaining slots were shared among Busia, Bungoma and Vihiga counties," Mutivane said.
The programme aims to give students from the four counties an opportunity to pursue higher education and complete their studies without the burden of school fees.
