A proposal floated to amalgamate all funds supporting needy students has already started eliciting reactions with a section of MPs now calling for the funds to be channelled through the National Government Constituency Development Funds (NGCDF) for what they said would be better management.
On Friday, National Assembly Speaker Moses Wetang’ula directed Clerk Samuel Njoroge to formulate a legislative proposal establishing the defined structure for the administration of bursaries and scholarships.
The policy will seek to amalgamate all available bursaries to ensure equal distribution and minimise duplication of awards.
Although the details of the proposed legislation that spell out how the funds will be managed and by who is yet to be out, lawmakers are already vouching for the management to be under NGCDF which they say has better structures and is being audited each financial year.
The lawmakers who spoke to Nation.Africa also want a guarantee that the amalgamated fund will be enough to fund free education in the country from grade one to form four. If this is not guaranteed, the lawmakers said, it is better for the current practice to continue.
While others say they have no problem with the fund being managed by the National government, Ministry of Education or National Treasury, others opine that NGCDF has proved to be successful and has ground structures that can effectively and efficiently manage the fund.
NGCDF Committee chairman Musa Sirma while terming the proposal as okay said the management should be under constituencioes which he said already has structures.
“If we can be given free education through the amalgamation, then it’s okay, if not then the money should be channelled through NGCDF which has well defined management structures. These others have no structures,” Mr Sirma said.
Mr Sirma, the Eldama Ravine MP, said that should the fund be put under the management of the National Government, then MPs will demand for efficiency and accountability.
“You can have the money at Harambee House or Jogoo House but it does not come to the ground. How then will we have an opportunity to push?” He asked.
He defended the money being put under NGCDF saying MPs will not be directly in charge since the fund has a committee and chairperson who are elected and approved by the House.
“We are just patrons in the fund, so when the money is under NGCDF, MPs are able to know the needy students in various parts of their constituencies,” Mr Sirma said.
According to the Constituency Development Act, MPs are allowed to allocate up to a maximum of 35 per cent of the allocation to Bursaries.
In the 2022/2023 financial year, the National Treasury allocated the NG-CDF Sh44.3 billion. Under the old model, Helb funded needy students to the tune of between Sh35, 000 and Sh60, 000.
However, due to the funding hitches, the averages allocation has to students has declined to Sh37, 000 depending on the band.
After the budget cuts, the National Assembly committee on Budget and Appropriations allocated Sh120.4 billion to Helb.
Different counties also allocate different amounts for bursary kitties scholarship, for instance, this financial year, Narok allocated sh400 million to educate 47,000 learners, Kiambu's allocated Ksh.50 million to benefit 100,000 learners while Nakuru allocated Sh342 million for students.
At the same time, all the 290 Constituencies in the country are also allocated an equal amount of money which is about Sh1.35m for bursaries under the Presidential Bursary.
The bursary is administered at the Constituency level, through a committee known as the Presidential Bursary Sub-committee which is a sub-committee of the Constituency Social Assistance Committee (CSAC). It receives, vets and approves applicants.
Kitui Rural MP David Mwalika said if the funds can be under the management of CDF, then the MPs should be left with the current arrangement of managing the bursaries in their constituencies.
“Bursaries should be managed at the local level because it is the MP who knows where the problem is. It cannot be managed by a governor because he is like a president in a county and might not know problems in various constituencies,” Mr Mwalika said.
“The CDF has better infrastructure in place and therefore should manage the funds, failure to which, then we should be left with our bursaries and they continue with theirs. This bursary if not handled can send you home my friend,” Mr Mwalika added.
Kitui Central MP Makali Mulu said he has no problem with the fund being managed by another entity so long as it guarantees free education from primary to university level.
“To me, if the proposal equals free education, then I have no problem with it, if not, we will have to think twice. People will protect their turf,” Dr Mulu said.
Dr Mulu said in their Tuesday Kamukunji, there were many issues regarding the many kitties and the lawmakers suggested for a better coordination of the funds, it will be enough to fund free education up to university level.
“The debate is, can we have enough money to fund free education if the funds are merged? So that we don’t have students applying for bursaries which leads to discrimination when disbursing. This research has not been carried out,” Dr Mulu said.
Minority Leader Junet Mohamed supported the amalgamation of the kitties, saying when different entities are giving out the bursaries as is the case now, it does not serve any purpose.
“If the money is put in one place, then it can fund free education. Parliament must come up with such a law,” Mr Mohamed said.
Asked whether MPs are ready to lose grip of the bursaries, Mr Mohamed said “Why not? If the children will go to school for free. As for the management, that will be discussed in the Bill,” Mr Mohamed said.
Laikipia woman representative Jane Kagiri supported the amalgamation of the kitties saying it will have a bigger impact as compared to the current scenario.
“If the money is well coordinated, it can do much more. Now, I only get Sh3 million yet I have 15 wards to divide the amount, meaning each ward will only get Sh200, 000.This will have little impact,” Ms Kagiri said.
“With only 200,000 in a ward, I’m left with a tough decision on who should I give and who should miss, so at the end of the day the impact is not felt,” she added.
She however says that even with the little she has managed to send 500 students from Laikipia county TVETs while 331 other students which also benefited from the kitty who studies catering are set to graduate next week.
“This fund would be best managed by the woman representatives but if that cannot happen, then let it be under the national government ,” Ms Kagiri said.
Mukurweini MP John Kaguchia said the decision on whether the fund should be managed at the national level should be made by Kenyans.
He downplayed the figures being circulated on CDF saying the entire amount is not for bursaries hence cannot fund free education as proposed.
“Bursaries are already devolved, it is managed a committee that is on the ground. But if the people think that the money should go back to Nairobi, then that decision is up to them. I don’t want to say No or Yes to it,” Mr Kaguchia said.
Mr Kaguchia blamed county governments for veering off their mandate by also offering bursaries to secondary school students instead of equipping those that have finished form four with various skills.
Alego Usonga MP Samuel Atandi while supporting the proposal said Kenyans have been dehumanised while seeking bursaries from leaders hence the kitty should be managed by the national government.
“It is dehumanising to Kenyans to get bursaries. One has to follow their leaders. These funds should be merged so that Kenyans are not worried on where they will get school fees so that they can focus on other things in life,” Mr Atandi said.
