We will sponsor varsity student appealing for help, Kwale County Govt now says

Kwale ECDE porridge
Kwale County Member CECM for Education Ms Mishi Salim Mwakaole/ Photo courtesy

Kwale  County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Education Mishi Salim Mwakaole has responded to an appeal from a student Suheil Mkalla Mumba who had requested the public to fund his university education.

Mwakaole, in an interview with Education News on phone, stated that the county government is prepared to assist the student who has been admitted for Medicine through the ‘Elimu ni Sasa’ programme which provides support to disadvantaged students at every educational level.

The County Minister was reacting to a story published by Education News about the young man who was seeking support from well-wishers to cover the significant annual fees of Ksh490,940 required for the 7-year course.

Mwakaole further mentioned that Mumba was a beneficiary of the programme and had been sponsored from Form one to four at Kwale Boys High School, surprised that the student was seeking help from the public, especially after she had already contacted the student and his mother assuring them of sponsorship once he received his admission letter to join Egerton University.

Suheil Mkalla Mumba who wants to study medicine at Egerton University

She had recommended that the student and his parents should reach out to the county government via the CECM once they receive the results of their loan application from the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) as this will help them ascertain the total amount of the awarded loan and any government scholarship after processing and assessment.

“The HELB has not released the results of the loan application and we are wondering why the student is unsettled yet he has been assured support from the county government to cover the household contribution after the HELB determines the loan amount,” said Mwakaole.

She added that the county government will intervene once they know the amount allocated to him by HELB. This will determine the support he receives through the county bursary program.

She stated that in the previous year, the county government supported six students in medicine programmes and facilitated placements for 650 students across different universities through the Kenya Universities and Colleges Central Placement Service (KUCCPS).

Additionally, she highlighted that the county government had waived the household contribution for needy students from the area.

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“Funds are available to support needy students and having been under our programme, he will be automatically assisted under our programme,” said Mwakaole.

The student, Mkalla who had received county sponsorship since form 1, had mentioned that it often didn’t cover the full school fees, which placed financial strain on his parents. He also noted that the government loans and scholarships are typically disbursed well into the semester, leaving the family without sufficient funds to enroll him before the scholarship money arrives.

By Frank Mugwe

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