Over 66,000 students in Nairobi County will now benefit from a bursary package released by the county government to keep students in schools, after the county administration released the cheques. According to Nairobi County Education Executive Committee Member, Janet Ouko, the county has sponsored over 3,000 and another 59,500 from the 85 wards. The package worth 585 million shillings, will be deposited directly into schools bank accounts with the help of cooperative bank, to ensure all eligible students are catered for.
Nairobi Metropolitan Services Director General Mohammed Badi was at hand to receive the funds on behalf of the County Government.
And as Nairobi county, embarks on bursary distribution and empowering learners, the cooperative bank of Kenya has welcomed the partnership with the Nairobi county government in the disbursement of bursaries. According to cooperative bank Director, Corporate and Institutional Banking Division, Jackie Waithaka, the bank is ready to ensure smooth transfer of funds to schools through viable digital platforms.
“It is really noble and honorable for us to consider needy children in the society. Education is a factor of equality and today our country is face with high inequality in education”, she said
“Cooperative bank has gone on to support education in its own way. Today we have 7,000 students in various secondary schools and universities in the country. We continue partnering with you in the disbursement of this bursary. One thing I want to assure all the secondary school heads present , all the parents present, is that Cooperative Bank is very ready. We have digitized our systems. We have a very robust system that is very freshly installed, that will ensure all the bursaries are effected and transmitted by a click of a button. Immediately we get to know the names of the students, we will send the money to the schools,” Ms. Waithaka added.
“I also want to assure you, on behalf of the CEC of Education, that the funds are there, and I have sighted the funds, so the money …is waiting to be remitted”, she assured, amid cheers.
“You don’t even have to wait for our statement. You can integrate the school account with the bank’s system such that the school accounts are credited automatically. This will offer more efficiency. For us as a bank, we continue pledging our support to ensure that we develop the county to the best”, Ms. Waithaka adviced.
This comes at a time when legislators in the country have complained about dodgy school heads, who fail to notify parents or students of arrival of bursaries in schools, in a move to swindle them. However, with the advanced banking systems, cooperative has assured school heads of seamless transactions between the bank and schools, saying the money is ready to be remitted.
Nairobi county assembly speaker, Benson Mutura, has however expressed satisfaction that the bursary has been fairly allocated across all the Wards. He said the county will be vigilant and bring to account anyone found misappropriating the funds meant to benefit needy students
Nairobi Education CEC, Janet Ouko on her part said there is an urgency in the education sector, to keep students in schools and curb cases of school drop outs and unwanted pregnancies. She has called upon the Nairobi Metropolitan Service (NMS) to work together with the county education docket to ensure no child misses school for lack of fees.
Maj.Gen Badi highlighting among ongoing NMS ‘s efforts in ensuring the welfare of pupils across Nairobi through on going distribution of face masks, sanitizers, installation of Hand Washing Stations even through Partnerships with Well wishers, NGOs and other Agencies.
He expressed confidence and impressed upon MCAs to ensure realization of the Ward Development fund’s full potential as he referenced the positive change the hundreds of kilometres of roads constructed among other projects across the 85 Wards had impacted the community