Primary and Junior Secondary Schools to Access Bursaries.
If Parliament approves a motion presented by Gatanga MP Edward Muriu on behalf of the United Democratic Alliance (UDA), parents with children attending primary and junior secondary schools will gain access to bursaries through the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF). The concern raised in the motion is that the fund has previously only benefited secondary and tertiary school students, leaving out primary and newly established junior secondary school students.
The ruling party argues that this exclusion contradicts Article 53 (1) (b) of the constitution, which guarantees every child the right to quality education. The legislator emphasizes that the assumption that primary and junior secondary education is entirely free is flawed, as the government’s per-pupil capitation is insufficient to cover the mandatory materials required for the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC). This puts a burden on pupils whose parents cannot afford these costs.
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In alignment with the motion, Parliament aims to resolve that every NG-CDF Board in each constituency approves additional allocations for the education bursary scheme. This additional funding would support teaching and learning activities related to the CBC and school feeding programs.
During debates in the House, it was emphasized that education is a great equalizer, bridging the gap between children from different socioeconomic backgrounds. Providing bursaries to basic education institutions would ensure that every child can exercise their right to a quality education, enabling them to access future opportunities.
Additionally, there is a call to revise the per-student capitation for primary schools from the current Ksh1,420 per year to at least Ksh7,760 as the minimum optimal allocation. The motion states that education bursary schemes should be extended to support learners in primary and junior secondary schools to meet the requirements of the Competency-Based Curriculum.
Given UDA’s significant majority in Parliament, it is expected that this proposal will encounter little resistance.
Primary and Junior Secondary Schools to Access Bursaries
