Kisumu West MP Rosa Buyu has disbursed Sh37m in bursaries to 3,740 students pursuing university, college and other tertiary education.
The funds are intended to help students from needy families meet part of their education costs amid what Buyu described as growing financial pressure on households.
University students will receive Sh12,000 each, while those in colleges will get Sh8,000 and students in smaller tertiary institutions Sh6,000.
“Right now today, we have 3,740 students who are going to be beneficiary of our bursary,” Buyu said during the disbursement exercise.
She acknowledged that the payments would not cover the full cost of education and called for a more comprehensive government-funded system to prevent students from dropping out because of unpaid fees.
“It is not enough, but for universities we are giving Sh12,000 per student, for colleges we are giving Sh8,000, and for the smaller institutions we are giving Sh6,000,” she said.
Buyu said the number of students applying for bursaries had increased each year, which she attributed to growing economic difficulties facing families.
“What we’ve seen now is an increase year in, year out of the number of people who are coming out to look for bursaries, which only shows that the economic times are getting more and more difficult,” she said.
The MP also said she supported proposals under public participation to consolidate government education funds and provide free college and university education to qualifying students.
She said such a system would reduce the risk of students being forced to leave institutions because of outstanding fees.
“But if the government made this a free venture for all the students, that would mean that no student would ever be made to be out of a learning institution,” she said.
The bursary programme is run annually, with applications collected at ward and sub-location level.
Buyu said secondary school bursaries were processed in January, while the latest disbursement was for students in tertiary institutions who had applied during the same period.
She also said bursaries were awarded without regard to applicants’ political affiliations, provided they met the eligibility criteria.
“We do not look at who somebody supports politically. So long as you are needy, so long as you are a registered voter in this constituency, that means that you have a right to actually benefit from a bursary,” she said.
The bursary disbursement comes as development projects continue in Kisumu West.
Buyu cited the 16km Holo-Lela tarmac road, which she said was nearing completion, as well as the construction of markets and other public facilities.
She said the projects, together with education support, were aimed at improving access to essential services and supporting residents across the constituency.
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