NG-CDF bursary keeps learners in school

Malindi Woman Representative Amina Mnyazi. [File, Standard]

A unique bursary programme initiated by the Malindi National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) has kept more than 15,000 secondary students in school.

The initiative targets all students in public sub county schools irrespective of their background and they are each awarded Sh4,000 bursary.

Tuition fees in most public sub county secondary schools has been pegged at Sh8,000 annually by the Ministry of Education and through the new initiative, parents are supposed to shoulder the balance of Sh12,000.

The programme has also been embraced by five Members of County Assembly (MCAs) in Malindi constituency including Malndi town ward, Shella ward, Ganda ward, Kakuyuni ward and Jilore ward.

The MCAs award each of the 15,000 students Sh4,000 through the Kilifi County ward scholarship fund leaving the parents to shoulder the remaining Sh8,000.

Speaking during ground breaking ceremony for Sh3 million laboratory at Bishop Baldachino Secondary School in Ganda ward, Malindi sub county in Kilifi county, Malindi Woman Representative Amina Mnyazi heaped praise on the plan saying it is the answer to fee challenges in the area.

Mnyazi said she sold the idea to MCAs Rashid Odhiambo (Malindi town ward), Twahir Abdulrahman (Shella ward), Oscar Wanje (Ganda ward), Morris Hinzano (Kakuyuni ward) and Khamis Jambo (Jilore ward).

"They bought the idea and promised to apply it on the Kilifi county ward scholarship fund," he said.

Bishop Baldachino Secondary School principal Stephen Nyamai lauded the bursary funding model saying that it had enabled students to attend classes without worrying about fees.
He urged parents to work hard and clear school fees balance after getting half of it paid by the NG-CDF and Kilifi county ward development Fund.