The issuance of Scholarships and bursaries to Primary and Secondary learners will undergo a major shift if final recommendations by the Presidential Working Party on Education Reforms task force are implemented.
Currently the issuance of scholarships and bursaries in basic education is fragmented as the same is been done by different entities resulting in inequities and little is done to support the neediest learner. There is no single legal framework to govern the issuance of scholarships and bursaries in basic education.
The task force is recommendation that government develops legislation on bursaries and scholarship i.e. Management of Scholarship and Bursaries in Basic Education Bill (Attachment 3: Outline of the proposed Bill).
The new law shall include: centralize management of bursaries and scholarship in one body called Kenya Basic Education Bursaries and Scholarships Council; central data base that captures all bursaries and scholarships; outlaw provision of bursaries and scholarships from two sources; outlaw demand of refund of money paid as bursaries and scholarships; needy students to be identified through the schools, wards, sub-county and county; and involve religious leaders, school heads and elected leaders.
The council to be established as a semi-autonomous government agency within the State Department for Basic Education and it shall be responsible for:
- Administering the bursaries and scholarships;
- Providing the criteria for bursaries and scholarship;
- Processing the identification of needs;
- Keeping a data base of all needy students;
- Mobilizing resources from private sector to complement government allocation;
- Collaborating with other agencies that provide bursaries and scholarships;
- Publishing the list of awardees to avoid double allocations;
- Reporting annually to the national and county
The composition of the Council to include relevant government players namely: State Department for Basic Education; KICD; KNEC; KLB; National Treasury; NGCDF; and other private sector players such as the Kenya Bankers Association (KBA) and religious groups.
The Council will be the successor of Jomo Kenyatta Foundation (JKF) and a transitional arrangement be provided for in the Act.