Needy students with special needs in Kericho benefit from Sh2.3 M bursaries

Sep 12, 2023 - 17:42

On the right is the Kericho County Disability officer Ms. Hellen Tuwei presenting a cheque of Sh88, 580 to a teacher at St. Paul Charera Special School situated in Bureti sub-county within Kericho Ms. Milka Koech to assist five learners living with disabilities at the special school.

Bureti,

Tuesday, September 12, 2023

KNA by Sarah Njagi

The government through the National Council for Persons with disabilities (NCPWD) disbursed Sh2.3 million in the last financial year through the school fees bursary programme for secondary school learners with special needs in Kericho County.

About 70 students enrolled in the program drawn from over forty secondary schools in Kericho benefitted from the fund.

Speaking to KNA in Litein town within Bureti sub-county the County Disability officer Ms. Hellen Tuwei said the bursary targets students living with disabilities and whose parents are not in a position to secure employment to cater for their education needs.

“School fees bursaries amounting to Shs 2, 319,055 for forty-two boarding secondary schools in Kericho County have assisted students living with disabilities who are seventy in number in the financial year ending July 2022-June 2023.

Notable on the list are national secondary schools like Kabianga High School, Kipsigis Girls High school who have learners with disabilities benefitted from the monies. Londiani Boys High School, Kericho High School, Cheptenye Boys High School, Kabianga Girls High School and special schools like St Paul Charera Special School, Kedowa Secondary School for the deaf among others also benefitted.” said Ms Tuwei.

Ms. Tuwei revealed that special learners pursuing secondary education received cheques valued from Sh12,000 to over Sh50,000 depending on the yearly school fees structure of their respective schools.

She added that parents whose children have disabilities ought to register them with the NCPWD office in order to access the school fees bursary through the national disability card.

The Kericho County Disability officer who is visually impaired added that the program for the last financial year catered for only special learners in boarding secondary schools.

She said the registered learners are confirmed by a county vetting committee chaired by the area county commissioner and composed of eight members drawn from the line ministries that handle children matters, which include Ministry of Education, Social services among others.

Ms Tuwei advised families living with children with disabilities to expose them to learning environments to equip them with skills for them to be self-reliant and productive in society.

Courtesy; KNA