As the drought persists in the county, Wajir Governor Ahmed Mukhtar has urged school principals not to send students home to pay their fees.
Mukhtar launched the Wajir County Bursary Fund for the fiscal year 2021-2022 on Monday at Korondile Secondary School in Wajir North.
The governor, accompanied by deputy governor Hashim Musa, announced that the county had received Sh100 million for bursaries and scholarships.
He stated that the funds would be distributed soon through the ward bursary committees.
He stated that his administration felt obligated to assist parents who had fallen on hard times as a result of the Covid-19 crisis, which had harmed the livestock industry, which was the economic mainstay for the majority of the residents.
“We recognize that it is difficult to run schools without money, which is why we have chosen to continue committing significant funds.”
“I, therefore, would not wish to see school heads sending students home under the prevailing circumstances,” Mukhtar said.
In the 2013-2014 fiscal year, the county established the bursary fund as part of its strategy to ensure equity in educational access.
The bursary fund is intended to provide equitable fee assistance to needy students in secondary and tertiary institutions drawn from the county’s 30 wards.
Mukhtar acknowledged that the funds were limited, but there were a large number of applicants.
He promised to increase the kitty in the coming fiscal year to accommodate more beneficiaries.
He did, however, state that there is a need for a standard operating procedure for the management of bursaries in order to ensure that only the needy benefit.
Wajir, like many other counties in Northern Kenya, is suffering from a severe drought.
The National Drought and Management Authority has already issued a warning about poor livestock health and milk production.
According to a government report, the average distance to water is increasing by the day because most animals and households rely on water pans.
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To combat the drought, the county has set aside Sh150 million in an emergency fund.
