Uasin Gishu Governor Dr. Jonathan Chelilim has underscored the key achievements the county administration has made in transforming education to boost socio-economic development in the county.
Speaking during this year’s 63rd Madaraka Day celebrations held at Tarakwa Primary School, Kesses Sub County, Uasin Gishu, Governor Chelilim noted, “The future of our country and indeed our great County of Champions will be determined by the knowledge, skills, and talents of our people.”
He highlighted that education remains the most powerful instrument of social and economic transformation and the great equalizer that enables children from humble backgrounds to compete fairly with those from more privileged families, acting as the bridge between aspiration and achievement.
Chelilim affirmed that they have embraced the same reality as the county by making education a central pillar of the development agenda.
He revealed that more than 40,000 young learners are enrolled in the ECDE centers across the county, while more than 1,420 ECDE teachers have been placed on permanent and pensionable terms, enhancing service delivery and improving learning outcomes.
“We have equipped our ECDE centers with teaching and learning materials worth Sh 40 million and are currently constructing more than 90 classrooms across our wards to provide a conducive environment for learning,” he noted.
Additionally, he said, the school milk programme continues to improve learner retention, attendance, and nutrition, explaining that on Tuesdays and Thursdays, thousands of children receive milk through this initiative, ensuring that no child is left behind because of circumstances beyond their control.
Beyond foundational learning, he said, the county was also investing in the future of the youth through its thirteen vocational training centers.
“Through our partnership with the Kenya Commercial Bank Foundation under the Tujiajiri Programme, more than 1,279 young people drawn from all wards are benefiting from Sh 50 million on a 9-month sponsorship.
Upon completion, they will receive tools of trade to enable them to transition into employment and entrepreneurship,” added Chelilim.
He also emphasized his administration’s firm commitment to supporting vulnerable and deserving learners through the county bursary program, noting access to education must never be determined by the family’s financial status.
He announced that Uasin Gishu is one of the 14 counties approved to offer bursaries in Kenya, and they have this year allocated a record Sh 186.5 million towards bursaries, benefiting 24,900 students across the region.
“As we continue with the distribution exercise, we are witnessing renewed hope. We are restoring dreams. We are assuring parents that their children’s education will not be interrupted by financial hardships. Indeed, every beneficiary represents a family whose burden has been eased and a future whose possibilities have been expanded,” said the governor.
“No amount of criticism will persuade us to abandon a bright but needy child. No amount of opposition will make us turn our backs on a deserving student whose future depends on access to education,” he added.
He commended the County Assembly for its support in ensuring that the bursary programme reaches deserving learners across all wards in the region.
He further indicated that the county’s development agenda extends beyond classrooms to the infrastructure that supports learning, enterprise, and livelihoods, noting that education thrives where infrastructure works.
“A child learns better when roads are accessible, homes are connected to electricity, clean water is available, and healthcare services are within reach,” he added.
By Ekuwam Sylvester
