In an earth shaking development, Nairobi Governor Johnson Sakaja yeaterday unrolled a record Sh857 million bursary plan for needy students in 2024. This is the highest amount of bursaries issued by the county government in a move aimed at helping the bright but needy learners to allow them secure an education.

At an event held at Nairobi Primary School in Kilimani Ward, Sakaja said the scholarships Sh857,800,000 will be distributed to 124,100 learners who will also be tracked to follow up on their academic performance every term.

This, he said, brings the county’s spending on bursaries and scholarships since he took office in August 2022 to Sh1.88 billion.

“This amount is more than what was spent by the previous administrations combined. To be clear: of the amount disbursed this year, will go to able students from Nairobi public primary schools admitted to national, extra County and County boarding schools across Nairobi Country,” he said.

Sakaja said his administration has steadily raised its allocation to the ward bursary funds which is currently at Sh7 million per ward up from Sh4.5 million in 2022.

Among the 124,100 students, 1,200 needy and bright Form One students will have their entire secondary school fees covered under the programme.

This is part of Sh595 million dedicated to the 85 wards within Nairobi and an additional Sh262 million earmarked for the county executive scholarship programme.

This is an increase in individual ward allocations, with each now receiving Sh7 million—an uplifting adjustment from the previous Sh6 million allotment.

“We have steadily raised our allocation to the ward bursary funds. We started at Sh4.5 million in 2022; we later raised this to Sh6 million, and we’re now up to Sh7 million per ward,” Governor Johnson Sakaja said on Saturday.

Sakaja expressed his administration’s unwavering commitment to providing educational support.

“This is an enormous investment that we are making in the students in Nairobi. We believe in our young people, and just like any investment, we expect to see results,” he said.

“We are going to have an accountability plan to ensure that learners perform well given the huge investment that we have made in them.”