Report that learners have been dropping-out of school because of poverty has become a major concern, with education stakeholders now calling for the consolidation of all bursary schemes into one centralized national education support programme to guarantee genuinely free basic education for all the children.
The debate has gained momentum following a revelation that more than 100,000 grade nine graduates across the country failed to join senior schools this year due to financial constraints, despite the government’s assurance of a smooth transition under the Competency-Based Education system.
In Tinderet, teachers, parents, religious leaders and local administrators say the situation mirrors the national picture, with a significant number of learners reportedly failing to report to school this year because their families could not raise admission fees, uniforms, transport costs and other school requirements.
The residents say, although the government introduced free primary and subsidized secondary education, many hidden costs continue locking vulnerable children out of classrooms.
At Chepsangor village in the area, parent Peter Kiptoo said the burden on poor households has become unbearable due to the rising cost of living and declining farm incomes.
Kiptoo explained that many parents in the region depend on small-scale farming of maize, tea and dairy farming, but earnings have remained low while education expenses continue increasing every year.
He said some families are forced to choose between buying food and taking children to school.
Tinderet Member of Parliament Julius Melly said education remains one of the biggest challenges facing families in the constituency despite the existence of various bursary programmes.
Melly noted that his National Government-Constituency Development Fund office receives thousands of bursary applications every year, many from desperate parents unable to raise even the minimum school requirements.
He said, although the constituency allocates millions of shillings annually toward bursaries, the demand far exceeds the available resources.
According to educational economist Jack Maiyo, the existence of separate bursary programmes run by Members of Parliament, county governments, Women Representatives and other organizations has created duplication and confusion.
He argued that consolidating the various funds into one transparent national education support framework would ensure needy learners benefit fairly and promptly.
The Elimu Bora Initiative official Joseph Rono said county governments have equally invested heavily in bursary programmes to support vulnerable children, but acknowledged that fragmentation has weakened efficiency.
Rono said some students receive assistance from multiple offices while others receive nothing because there is no coordinated system for identifying beneficiaries.
The official supported the idea of establishing a unified education support database that would track learners from primary school to university level and identify those at risk of dropping out.
Teachers say poverty has become one of the leading causes of absenteeism and school dropout in the area.
An education advocate Wilson Tanui said schools continue witnessing cases where bright learners stay home for weeks because parents cannot afford uniforms, transport or lunch.
Tanui explained that the transition to senior school under CBE has introduced additional pressure on parents, especially where learners are posted far from home.
He added that delayed government capitation has also strained school operations, forcing institutions to depend partly on parents for survival.
Women leaders in the area have also expressed concern over the increasing number of girls dropping out because of financial difficulties.
Nandi Woman Representative Cynthia Muge said some girls in the County are exposed to early marriages and child labour after failing to continue with school.
Muge said her office has been supporting needy learners through bursaries, sanitary towel distribution and mentorship programmes, but emphasized that the intervention is insufficient.
Religious leaders have equally urged the government to prioritize education funding.
Evangelist Michael Kibet from songhor-Soba ward said churches frequently encounter desperate parents seeking school fees assistance after exhausting all other options.
Kibet observed that the current bursary structure forces poor parents to move from office to office carrying documents in search of help, yet many still return home disappointed.
He argued that a centralized system would restore dignity to struggling families while ensuring fairness and accountability.
Other education stakeholders in the sub county are also advocating expansion of school feeding programmes to improve retention, especially in remote and economically vulnerable villages.
Public Benefit Organization activist, Esther Chebet, said hunger continues affecting concentration and attendance among learners from poor households.
Chebet noted that some children walk long distances to school without breakfast or lunch, affecting performance and increasing dropout risks.
According to community leaders, the problem has worsened in recent years because of fluctuating agricultural earnings and increasing household expenses.
A community elder Samuel Ruto said some families have been forced to withdraw children from school temporarily to help with farm work or casual labour.
Ruto warned that prolonged absence from school often results in permanent dropout.
Education experts believe that consolidating all bursary programmes into one professionally managed national fund could significantly reduce the number of children leaving school because of poverty.
The people now want the national government, Parliament and county governments to work together in creating a transparent and fully digitized learner support system capable of identifying and supporting every vulnerable child before they are forced out of school.
Many believe such reforms would not only improve school retention but also help secure the future of thousands of children whose dreams remain threatened by poverty.
By Sammy Mwibanda
