Form Four students at St Alfred Alara School in Rachuonyo West Sub-County, Homa Bay County, have pledged to attain a mean grade of C (plain) or higher in this year’s Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) examinations after receiving Sh672,000 in bursary support.
Homa Bay County Commissioner Ronald Mwiwawi presented the bursary payment receipts to the school on Thursday during a visit to assess its progress and conduct a mentorship programme.
The funds were provided through the office of Raymond Omollo, the Principal Secretary in the State Department for Interior and National Administration.
Of the total amount, Sh172,000 will clear outstanding fees for day scholars, while Sh500,000 will be used to settle part of the fee arrears owed by boarding students.
Addressing the Form Four candidates, Mr Mwiwawi urged them to take advantage of the support and remain focused on their studies.
“You have been given a rare opportunity to transform your lives through education. You must appreciate this opportunity and use it wisely,” he said.
The candidates responded by committing themselves to achieving a minimum mean grade of C (plain) in the national examinations.
Mwiwawi later told parents, teachers, students and members of the school Board of Management that additional assistance had been provided to vulnerable learners.
He said his office had donated food items worth Sh180,000, which had been converted into school fees for 43 students.
The office also donated five bags of rice and five bags of beans to support vulnerable students.
“Our intervention is aimed at ensuring that no deserving learner is pushed out of school because of fees challenges,” Mwiwawi said.
The school, however, continues to face infrastructure challenges. Students appealed for the construction of a modern laboratory, library and security fence.
Mwiwawi said proposals for the laboratory and library had already been submitted to the Principal Secretary and that the school was awaiting a response.
The meeting also provided an opportunity for government officials to brief residents on development projects in the area, including road construction, water projects and last-mile electricity connections.
Parents welcomed the government’s interventions, saying the area had benefited from development programmes associated with the office of the Interior Principal Secretary.
Mwiwawi also urged residents to register as voters ahead of the next General Election, saying a larger registered electorate could strengthen the community’s ability to push for development.
“Register as voters so that you can exercise your constitutional right and strengthen your bargaining power at the negotiating table,” he said.
He said education remained essential to equipping young people with the skills and opportunities needed to improve their lives and contribute to the development of their communities.
Leave a comment