Author: Nicholas Kigondu

The Mandera County government has increased its bursary allocation for all secondary schools within the county in response to prevailing economic challenges faced by parents.

Speaking during a consultative meeting with stakeholders and representatives of secondary school heads, Mandera County Governor Mohamed Adan Khalif said the move that also include revising contributions for the “Elimu Kwa Wote” initiative, aimed at ensuring education for all.

“We acknowledge the emerging challenges that ensued from the last time we rolled out the ‘Elimu Kwa Wote’ initiative. Due to those challenges, we have had extensive engagements with education officials and heads of schools since we had to make sure that this noble program that has actually helped many vulnerable children does not fail,” said Khalif.

The adjustment will see the “Elimu Kwa Wote” fees contribution revised from 70% to 88% for all day schools, while boarding schools will maintain their current 60% subsidy with ongoing discussions expected to shape future adjustments.

During the meeting, Governor Khalif underscored the pivotal role of the “Elimu Kwa Wote” initiative emphasizing the program’s significance in supporting the community and preventing student dropouts resulting from financial constraints.

The county boss also drew attention to the challenges faced by teachers in the region, appealing to the national government for solutions to staffing issues and improvements in overall educational infrastructure.

Ali Hassan, the Kenya Secondary Schools Heads Association representative in Mandera County raised concerns over potential increased student enrolment due to the augmented bursary allocation calling on the Teachers Service Commission (TSC) to address the shortage of teachers in the area.

Gender and Affirmative Action Principal Secretary Anne Wang’ombe says the government remains committed to addressing the bane of sexual and gender based violence in the country.

According to Wang’ombe, her department is awaiting release of funds to National Government Affirmative Action Fund to allow for the implementation of programs and targeted interventions including training of gender officers for improved handling of cases and better service delivery.

Speaking during a tour of nine SGBV centres that are set to be launched later this year, Wang’ombe emphasized the need for targeted interventions and commended the government for its support in addressing the challenge of gender-based violence in the country.

Nairobi County Woman Representative Esther Passaris, who is also the National Government Affirmative Action Fund patron, urged Treasury to release funds meant for the fund to help address the challenge of sexual and gender based violence within the city.

Passaris said the successful construction of nine SGBV centers within the city, underscores the urgent need for financial support to establish safe spaces for survivors.

The government has prioritized the rehabilitative agenda as part of ongoing efforts aimed at decongesting correctional facilities.

Speaking at the Kenya Prison Staff Training College in Ruiru during the commissioning of 371 newly recruited probation officers, State department for Correctional Services Principal Secretary Dr. Salome Beacco said her office is working closely with all justice sector actors to effect requisite reforms within prisons.

She said the National council of administrative justice is working with the judiciary through community service orders to allow reformed offenders contribute positively to the community while serving their sentences.

According to Beacco, the newly recruited officers will enhance the existing human resource capacity of the Department and help improve service delivery,

“The new team will enhance service delivery specifically in the area of rehabilitation, reformation, and reintegration of offenders through noncustodial measures.” She observed.

The State department for Correctional Services has initiated a host of reforms aimed at decongesting and improving living conditions within prisons as well as bridging the budget deficit which would ensure self-sustenance among correctional facilities.

Police in Samburu County are holding three suspects in connection with a consignment of bhang.

The suspects were arrested at Archers Post after they were found trafficking 196kgs of the illegal substance concealed beneath sacks of beans.

The driver of trailer Isaack Mohammed Bakacha and two other occupants, Harun Mohammed Galgalo and Ali Abdikadir Mohammed were intercepted by a multi-agency operation team, after police at the roadblock discovered the concealed drug.

After a thorough search, 66 bales of bhang estimated at a street value of 5.9 million shillings were confiscated and have since been secured as exhibits.

The vehicle has also been detained pending further investigations.

Private schools in Mombasa continued their dominance in the KCSE exams announced by Education CS Ezekiel Machogu on Monday.

Sheikh Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Secondary School led with 9 straight As and 38 A minus grades.

The school had a total of 217 candidates with 213 of them scoring the minimum required grade for university entrance of C+.

Some 62 candidates scored B+, 55 scored B, 37 scored B- while 12 scored C+ with one student scoring a C-.

Among the school’s top performers was Abdallah Issa Timamy, son of Lamu Governor Issa Timamy who scored an A of 83 points.

Issa, who said that he wants to pursue law at the University of Nairobi or Strathmore, said that he draws his inspiration from his father.

“I would like to pursue law and follow in the footsteps of my father,” he said.

The school registered a mean score of 9.42 with a transition rate of 98.1 per cent.

The school Principal Sheikh Rishad Rajab lauded the good performance of the new grading system adding that team work and hard work from students, teachers, the school’s board of management and parents made it possible.

“Our target for this year was to have a mean score of 9.5. We were hoping for a 100 per cent university transition, but we are happy with the performance of the candidates,” Rajab said.

At Light academy, the school registered a mean score of 10.2 up from 9.89 last year with two out of their 66 candidates scoring A plain.

The school had 20 A-, B+ (33), B (10) and only one student scored a mean grade of B.

“I am grateful for the cooperation between the teachers, students and the parents. We are proud and very happy with the performance.

“We expect the same performance this year because we have very bright students,” said Yerkin Bey, the school principal.

One of the top students Nuru Said Abubakar said that she wants to be a doctor as she called on this year’s candidates to remain disciplined and focus on their studies.

“Put God first and your teachers close. For now you need your teachers more and also respect your parents too. Work hard so that you get good results,” she said.

Government spokesperson Isaac Mwaura has underscored the critical role played by state corporations and parastatals in national development.

Speaking during a meeting with the Executive Committee of Chairpersons of Parastatals and State Corporations (ECCPSC), Mwaura said it was imperative that contributions made by the organizations are recognized across the country.

“The focus was on crafting effective communication strategies to highlight the efforts of state corporations and parastatals in serving Kenya.” Said Mwaura.

With 248 State Corporations, including 46 commercial enterprises and 201 non-commercial entities, the Committee deliberated on aligning them with the Kenya Kwanza administration’s manifesto.

During the discussions, they explored avenues to showcase the transformative work and synchronize efforts for nationwide impact, deliberating extensively on the Kenya Kwanza administration’s manifestos and the role parastatals have in achieving the government’s Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).

Last month, the Council of Chairpersons began popularizing government activities and supporting education across the country, complementing Cabinet Secretaries’ efforts on the Kenya Kwanza agenda, guided by the Bottom-up Economic Transformation Agenda (BETA).

Members visited Western Nyanza, Eastern, and the Coastal region, popularizing government initiatives and providing school fee bursaries in counties like Murang’a, Bungoma, Machakos, and Homa Bay.

The Committee was represented by its Chair Irungu Nyakera (Chairman of KEMSA), Chief Whip Cavince Owidi (Chairman of LVSWWDA), and Organizing Secretary Dr. Pamela Sietenei (Chairperson of Masinde Muliro University Council).

The National Nurses Association wants action taken against individuals who were captured attacking healthcare workers at Port Victoria Hospital in Busia.

In a statement signed by its president Collins Ajwang, the association has termed the attack as provocative, savage, extreme and uncalled for.

While clarifying that the lady in question is not one of its members, the association wants action taken against perpetrators of the incident even as it called for remedial measures to mitigate the damage caused to its member.

“We are liaising with relevant legal institutions to ensure that the unfortunate debacle is exhaustively addressed.’ Read the statement.

In the video, that has since gone viral, an enraged woman in the company of an armed man can be seen harassing the staff on duty.

The undated video shows the woman harassing and disparaging staff at the facility demanding that her patient receives preferential treatment threatening to exert the influence of a prominent individual if they fail to honor her demands.

The incident has elicited debate across social media with users ventilating on the episode with a definite sense of disdain.