Nandi County Governor Stephen Sang Condemns Court Ruling on Bursary Program, Defends County’s Support for Needy Students

Nandi Governor Stephen Sang Officially opening ECDE Classroom at Kipkombot Primary School

 Nandi County Governor Stephen Sang has strongly condemned the recent directive issued by the Controller of Budget (CoB), Margaret Nyakang’o, which restricts county governments from funding bursaries without an intergovernmental agreement. In a passionate statement, Governor Sang emphasized that the issue is not about the level of government but about the well-being of needy students who require urgent educational support.

Governor Sang voiced his concerns over the directive that prohibits county governments from providing financial support to students in secondary and university education. According to Nyakang’o, requisitions for the withdrawal of funds for such programs must be supported by an intergovernmental agreement, which has now raised questions about the future of thousands of students across the country who depend on county-level bursaries.

"This directive, if followed to the letter, risks locking out thousands of students, particularly those from underprivileged backgrounds, from accessing education," Governor Sang stated. "We want to be clear that this is not about the level of government—whether national or county—but about the needy children who are already in school and cannot continue their education without support."

The Governor emphasized that Nandi County has taken steps to support its most vulnerable students by offering full scholarships, covering all educational costs from Form One to Form Four, to children identified as in need of financial assistance. These students, he argued, would be severely impacted if the government was not allowed to continue offering bursaries through county programs.

"If the courts tell us we cannot offer bursaries, what will happen to these children who are already in school, courtesy of the full scholarships provided by the county government?" Sang asked. "We are not doing this out of a sense of government rivalry, but because these children need our help. They are the future of Kenya, and it is our duty to provide them with the opportunity to learn, regardless of the legal framework."

Governor Sang went on to challenge the law that restricts county governments from supporting education, stating that such regulations do not serve the interests of the Kenyan people or the children who desperately need access to education. He stressed that the law should be designed to serve the people, not the other way around, and criticized the notion that these laws should stand in the way of helping the most vulnerable children.

"The laws that are being invoked to stop bursaries do not work for the Kenyan child," Sang continued. "They are not serving the interests of the people, and they are not aligned with the country’s education goals. The law should work for the benefit of the children, and we are asking the courts to reconsider and allow us to continue offering the necessary support to these deserving children."

The Governor further pointed out that if the county government was able to allocate more funds towards education bursaries, other key development projects in Nandi County could also be funded. However, due to the lack of adequate funding from national bursary programs, the county has been forced to step in to fill the gap.

"We understand that secondary and university education is the responsibility of the national government, but the reality on the ground is that the bursary system under the CDF is not enough to meet the needs of all the students," he said. "As a county government, we’ve had to step in because of the large number of needy children in our wards. Our goal is to give every child the chance they deserve."

Nandi County has long been committed to improving access to education, and the bursary program has been a critical part of ensuring that all children, regardless of their socioeconomic status, are able to attend school and complete their education. The county's intervention has been instrumental in keeping many students in school, and Governor Sang remains firm in his belief that this should continue.

"We are proud of the progress we’ve made in ensuring that every child in Nandi County has access to education," he said. "We don’t want to see these efforts undone by legal technicalities. The children we support today are the leaders of tomorrow, and it is our collective responsibility to ensure they are not left behind."

Governor Sang is now calling on the courts to review the decision, allowing counties to continue supporting their students and ensuring that no child is denied an education due to financial constraints. He also called for a review of the national bursary program to ensure it adequately meets the needs of all students, especially those in rural areas like Nandi County.

"We urge the national government to work with us to strengthen the bursary system and ensure that all children who qualify for assistance are given the opportunity to learn and thrive," Sang concluded.

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March 20, 2025