Rédaction Africa Links 24 with Kenyans.co.ke
Published on 2024-02-29 12:20:17
The Ministry of Education is working on introducing new procedures to streamline the application process for bursaries and scholarships through the Basic Scholarships and Bursaries Bill 2024. This bill aims to make it easier for students to access financial aid by implementing a more organized and efficient system.
Under the proposed bill, students will be required to submit their applications to the Basic Education Scholarships and Bursaries Council, which will review the applications within a specified timeframe. This council, established by the bill, will take over the responsibility of awarding funds, eliminating the need for students, parents, or guardians to seek assistance from members of parliament as was the practice in the past.
In the past, there have been cases of parents and guardians facing challenges and even risking their lives while trying to obtain bursary forms from their respective MPs. The new system aims to eliminate such difficulties and provide a more transparent and equitable process for accessing financial support for education.
All applicants will need to fill out a form issued by the council, and if awarded, they must comply with the set conditions within a month to retain the bursary. The council will assess the eligibility of applicants based on various factors including academic performance, special talents, financial need, affirmative action, school category, fee amounts, and existing benefit from other programs.
To ensure fairness and equality in the distribution of scholarships and bursaries, the council will issue guidelines and establish a Personal Identification Account Number (PIAN) for each awarded student. The council will also be responsible for maintaining a central database of funds distribution, preparing reports, mobilizing resources, and monitoring the impact of the financial aid provided.
Additionally, the bill proposes the creation of the Basic Education Scholarship and Bursaries Fund, which will pool resources from parliamentary appropriations, investments, donations, grants, and gifts. This fund will ensure a sustainable and adequate source of funding for scholarships and bursaries in basic education.
The bill comes after various controversial cases involving MPs issuing bursaries, such as incidents where parents queued for hours, resulting in injuries and even loss of life. The new system aims to prevent such unfortunate events by centralizing the application and distribution process under the oversight of the Basic Education Scholarships and Bursaries Council.
Overall, the Basic Scholarships and Bursaries Bill 2024 seeks to improve access to financial aid for students in need, promote transparency and fairness in the distribution of scholarships and bursaries, and ensure a more efficient and effective system for supporting education in Kenya.
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