Speaker Wetang’ula calls for better management of school bursaries

By Peter Ochieng

National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula, has called for significant reforms in education, including improved strategies for administering school bursaries across the country.

Speaking during a courtesy visit by a team of university scholars from Daystar University, led by Vice-Chancellor Prof. Laban Ayiro on Tuesday, the Speaker called for development of proposals to address the current state of education in Kenya.

He highlighted what he termed as the alarming loss of bursary funds, with up to 60% reportedly disappearing due to theft.

Modalities, Wetang’ula said, must be put in place to ensure deserving learners get the financial support they need through bursaries.

"We need to consolidate these resources to better support our students. I challenge you to develop a policy that effectively tackles this hurdle to ensure deserving students benefit from these resources," he said.

He acknowledged the critical role educational institutions, particularly universities, play in transforming the nation. "I urged Prof. Ayiro to ensure that institutions like Daystar take the lead in addressing Kenya’s most pressing issues and share the irreducible minimums for genuine progress."

"Universities need to curb the spread of fake academic papers that detract from our education system,” he added.

His sentiments came two days after President William Ruto appointed members of the National working Committee to review the new University funding model, which has sparked nationwide opposition.

President Ruto through a gazette notice stated that the National working Committee shall have four sub committees, that shall be tasked with different roles including the review of the new funding model for Universities and Technical, Vocational Education and Training Institutions (TVETS).

“Now therefore I William Samoei Ruto, President of the Republic of Kenya in exercise of the powers conferred upon me by the Constitution and the Statute Laws of the Republic of Kenya do order and direct that the National Working Committee on Review of the New University Education Funding Model is hereby established,” he said.

The four sub committees shall focus on the cost of university degree programs, the structure of student loans and appeals arising from the placement of students into various eligibility bands for allocation of scholarships and loans for their higher learning education.