Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja has launched a Ksh170 million secondary school scholarship initiative designed to improve access to education for students from economically disadvantaged families across the county.
The programme was officially unveiled on January 8, at a ceremony held at Uhuru Park, where selected beneficiaries were awarded their scholarships.
In the first phase, the county government has committed Ksh170 million to support 4,000 bright but needy learners, enabling them to continue their secondary education without financial strain.
Nairobi Governor Launches Ksh170 Million Scholarship Drive Targeting 4,000 Beneficiaries. Photo: Courtesy.
Governor Sakaja noted that the initiative aims to ease the burden on families struggling to meet the rising costs of schooling.
He further compared the current administration’s investment in education to previous years, revealing that Nairobi County spent approximately Ksh10 billion on scholarships and bursaries between 2013 and 2022.
According to the governor, his administration has so far invested Ksh1.8 billion in education support within two years, demonstrating what he termed a strengthened commitment to learning.
He acknowledged the role played by the Controller of Budget, working alongside the Ministry of Education and the Council of Governors, in resolving last year’s standoff and ensuring scholarship programmes are firmly anchored in law.
In addition to scholarships, the county boss noted that the county is investing in school infrastructure to tackle overcrowding in public schools.
He revealed that the national government is constructing 5,000 classrooms at a cost of Ksh1 billion, while the county government is building an additional 1,500 classrooms to ease congestion in learning institutions
Sakaja emphasized the growing demand for education in Nairobi, observing that the city’s population of approximately 7 million relies on only 230 public schools.
