Rongai Sub-County, despite having a high number of public schools, faces challenges in providing quality education to all its students.
Many areas within the Sub-County fall under Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) conditions, where poverty significantly impacts families and hinders their children’s access to education.
To address this, the Nakuru County government today disbursed the first tranche of its bursary fund to the subcounty, amounting to Sh14,583,500.
This crucial financial aid will benefit at least 3,600 needy students in public day schools and vocational training centers across Soin, Visoi, Mosop, Menengai West, and Solai wards within the Sub-County.
Deputy Governor David Kones presided over the bursary cheque distribution ceremony at Kampi ya Moto Secondary School in Visoi Ward.
Kones emphasized the importance of vocational training, encouraging parents to enroll their children in these centers to equip them with valuable skills for employment and self-reliance. The county government provides a capitation of Ksh30,000 per student for vocational training.
Kones noted that supporting education in ASAL regions was crucial for several reasons including breaking the cycle of poverty because education is a powerful tool for ending poverty thus providing financial assistance to needy students, bursaries empower them to pursue their education and acquire skills that will enable them to secure better livelihoods.
He said ASAL regions often face significant socio-economic disparities hence investing in education in these areas helps to reduce inequalities and ensure that all children, regardless of their background, have access to quality education.
The Deputy Governor observed that educated individuals were vital for the development of any society saying “By investing in education in ASAL regions, we are investing in the future human capital of the country,’’ he noted.
Additionally, he stated that education plays a crucial role in promoting sustainable development in ASAL regions adding that educated individuals were better equipped to understand and address challenges posed by environmental degradation, climate change, nutrition and other development issues.
Thus, the bursary initiative is a significant step towards ensuring that all students in Rongai Sub-County, especially those from disadvantaged backgrounds, have equal opportunities to access quality education and build a brighter future.
A resident of the area, Gilbert Kaplich, urged the county government to supply the Rongai subcounty with water, since lack of it has contributed to their perennial poverty because they spend the little money they make on purchasing water at very high prices.
He noted that ASAL regions are more blessed than other areas because they have unutilized vast lands, and if the government supplies them with water they will leave the greatest legacy of economic development ever achieved since independence.
“Any observant person will note that people who come from ASAL regions are naturally slender due to the long distances they walk while looking for water, and we hardly suffer from noncommunicable diseases. Our prayer is that the money we save the government on medication be channeled to our greatest need- water,’’ added Kaplich.
By Veronica Bosibori