A new rule by the Nakuru County Bursary committee will look out thousands of deserving students from accessing the funds.
The Bursary committee led by former councillor Charles Maisiba has announced that the funds will only be accessible to those who score C+ in high school and 250 marks in KCPE.
The move will lock out thousands of students from poor homes who do not meet the grade.
While some Nakuru residents are supporting the move, others see it as discrimination.
“Every needy student deserves access to the fund. Even the national government is not discriminating students in high schools. It’s giving funds even to those scoring Es,” said a resident not happy with the new development.
The MCA for Olkaria Ward in Naivasha Hon. Samuel Palang’a has tabler a motion in the County Assembly of Nakuru opposing the move.
Hon. Palang’a who is also the minority leader leader in the assembly is in opposition to the move arguing it will lock out many of the deserving students.
Chairman Maisiba of the Nakuru County Bursary Committee on the other hand claims that Palang’a is only delaying the process as he has not submitted bursary forms from his Olkaria ward. Apparently, bursaries are issued through MCAs a move that has also been criticized by some Nakuru residents.
“The MCAs should not even be involved in the issuance of bursaries. They end up giving the funds to their cronies denying those who need the bursary most,” says a resident adding that the MCAs should only play an oversight role.
Others argue that denying poor performing students the bursary is only a perpetuation of the poverty cycle.
“Some of these students are performing badly because of the dire circumstances at their homes. Give them a bursary and you’ll have given them peace of mind and an opportunity to concentrate in their studies,” says a resident.
Those in support of the new discriminatory move claim that with limited funds, there needed a criteria in giving out the bursary.
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