The government will place 14,426 2023 Kenya Certificate of Primary Education(KCPE) students on full scholarship under the Kenya Primary Education Equity in Learning (KPEEL) Program.
Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu announced on Monday that the scholarships funded by the Jomo Kenyatta Foundation and the Equity Group Foundation will be awarded to vulnerable students and those in marginalized areas.
The program will consider students who attained 280 marks and above in last year’s Kenya Certificate of Primary Education and candidates with special needs and disabilities.
“For affirmative action, candidates with special needs and disabilities who attained below 280 marks will be eligible,” he said.
The education CS stated that refugee learners in camp-based schools will also be eligible, with the selection criteria set at 240 marks for girls and 250 for boys.
Did you read this?
Machogu noted since 2020, the Kenyan government has awarded 52,000 scholarships to marginalized and vulnerable students under KPEEL.
“The demand for Government scholarship support under the Secondary Education Quality Improvement Project (SEQIP) and KPEEL Programme has continued to increase annually since 2020."
The increasing demand must be addressed to avoid further disparities in access to secondary education,” he said.
Further, he urged the partners in the education sector to intervene and offer scholarships to students in need to ensure that the government will achieve a 100 percent transition program and that no child will be left behind in the educational system.
One million four hundred thousand three hundred twenty-nine students who sat for the Kenya Certificate of Primary Education (KCPE) secured Form One placement.
The ministry placed 42,927 students in National Schools, 2,225 students in Special Needs Education, 274,746 in Extra County, 288,201 in County schools and 792,230 students in Sub-county schools.
“A total of 717,358 boys and 682,971 girls have acquired a chance to join Form one in the National schools, Special Needs Education, Extra County schools, County Schools and Sub-County Schools,” Machogu said.
