This archive report was first published on 7 January 2020.
Every year, hundreds of bright but needy students are unable to join high school due to lack of fees, highlighting the dysfunction of Kenya's bursary system.
On January 7, 2020, Education Cabinet Secretary George Magoha launched the Elimu Scholarship Programme, a joint initiative with the government, Equity Bank, and the World Bank, targeting 9,000 students.
However, the bursary system remains plagued by inefficiency and corruption, with the government's past models failing to deliver.
One major issue is the lack of coordination among bursary programmes, with unclear application processes and modes of identifying deserving cases.
As a result, many needy students are denied support, and some even receive multiple bursaries, perpetuating corruption and inefficiency.
To address this, the government should revisit the bursary scheme and streamline the process to serve the needy.
Developing a database for all learners through the National Education Management Information System (Nemis) can help provide a basis for bursary allocations and eliminate duplication and corruption.
With proper coordination and management, the bursary system can be reinvigorated to support the many needy students in Kenya.
