The Supreme Council of Kenya Muslims (SUPKEM) in Homa Bay county has urged the government to consolidate all bursaries for effective disbursement. Abdul Masud, the council’s Secretary Homa Bay County, expressed concerns that the multiple channels of bursaries disbursement were a recipe for wastage of public funds.
The multiple channels include Presidential bursary issued by the office of the President, constituency bursary issued by the National Government Constituency Development Fund (NG-CDF) and the NGAAF bursary distributed by the office of Woman Representative.
In county governments, governors also have bursaries and scholarship programmes for students in secondary schools. Masud said integrating the bursaries will prevent wastage of the funds. He argued that every office that handles bursaries has committees whose members draw allowances whenever they meet thus driving up expenses.
“The allowances paid bursary committees could be used to boost the bursary funds if integrated in one office,” Masud said. Masud added that consolidating the bursary funds will curb cases where leaders play politics with bursaries.
He said it was regrettable that some political leaders denied students bursaries because the students’ parents did not vote them. Masud argued that consolidating the bursaries will curb such cases.
The suggestion was supported by parents who argued that consolidating the funds will improve efficiency in management of the funds. James Otieno, a parent, said consolidating the bursaries will ensure deserving students get the financial support. Adding that integrating the funds will improve efficiency.