Kakamega Governor, Fernandes Barasa on Thursday launched the disbursement of bursary funds worth Sh30 million to various polytechnics across the 12 sub-counties within the county.
The bursary funds will benefit an estimated 5,870 students enrolled in the county’s 68 polytechnics, with each student receiving Sh5,000.
The governor announced that the county government would also resume the issuance of bursary funds to secondary schools following the signing of an Intergovernmental Participatory Agreement (IPA) with the Ministry of Education.
The Controller of Budget had stopped counties from issuing bursaries to secondary schools noting that it was a function of the national government.
The IPA has, however, unlocked the stalemate, enabling the county government to be able to release Sh150 million in bursary funds to secondary schools in Kakamega in January 2026, including grade 10 learners.
Speaking at Kakamega county polytechnic, Governor Barasa directed the County Executive for Education and Chief Officer for Finance to address delays in capitation to ensure county polytechnics and Early Childhood Education Centres (ECDEs) get funds on time to avoid interruption of learning.
He noted that the county government has also procured tools and equipment worth Sh10 million to be distributed to five newly established polytechnics to ensure they offered quality training.
“We are doing a lot of investments in the Technical Training Institutions as a county government because we appreciate the value of the training to our students so that when they finally graduate, they will be coming out as people who have been well trained,” he noted.
The governor also urged county polytechnic principals to ensure they prudently utilize funds channeled to their institutions and warned that any misuse of funds would not be tolerated.
“We are going to take stern action against any case brought to our attention involving misuse of funds in our polytechnics because we are trying to equip our polytechnics properly. Anytime you are given an opportunity and you are resourced please make good use of those funds since we have so many competing development needs,” he asserted.
By Moses Wekesa
