The Kenyan Senate has taken a major step toward free and equitable education by approving a motion to streamline bursary funds. Senator Karungo wa Thang’wa spearheaded the motion, aiming to create a unified, transparent, and accountable system. It seeks to consolidate all bursary funds from national and county governments, ensuring efficient and fair distribution to students.
Currently, bursary funds come from multiple sources, including the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NGCDF), the National Government Affirmative Action Fund (NGAAF), and county governments. Critics argue that these schemes suffer from nepotism, favoritism, and a lack of transparency. Many deserving students miss out on financial aid. Senator Thang’wa pointed out that, despite billions allocated to education annually, the disbursement process remains unclear. Tracking how much aid reaches individual students is difficult.
The motion directs the Ministry of Education to audit all bursary funds and integrate them directly into schools as supplementary capitation. This approach aims to remove bureaucratic inefficiencies and ensure effective use of funds. Additionally, the motion calls for public disclosure of education costs per learner, promoting fairness and equity.
Senator Thang’wa criticized the current bursary programs for being discriminatory. He emphasized that free education benefits all students, unlike the flawed bursary system. “Bursary, as it is, is discriminative—but free education is not. No child should be sent home because a system meant to support them is broken. Today, the Senate has taken a bold step to fix it,” he stated.
With the motion passed, the Ministry of Education must now implement the Senate’s proposals. However, Senator Thang’wa stressed the need for legislative amendments to create a strong legal framework for free secondary education.
