KCB Foundation will be sponsoring at least 240 needy and bright pupils who sat for the 2015 Kenya Certificate of Primary Examination throughout their secondary education.

The scholarships bring to the total KShs. 100 million that KCB will invest in 2016 for the new cohort and the over 800 students currently under the lender’s support in secondary schools. The next group of awardees will have 40 positions reserved for pupils with disabilities.

KCB Foundation Director Jane Mwangi said the scholarships are meant to ease the burden of financing secondary education for parents of guardians with needy and bright pupils while supporting Kenya’s push for affordable and quality education.

The scholarships will cover tuition fees, school uniforms, learning materials and mentorship activities for the four year period.

“Our focus is to tap, nurture and support these pupils with an eye at building the next pool of top skills that will drive economic expansion in Kenya and beyond,”  said Mrs. Mwangi.

“We are committed to extend our financial support to these students and ensure they stay in school throughout the four-year period” she said. The KCB Foundation Scholarship programme is in line with Kenya’s long term development plan to reduce illiteracy by increasing access to education, improving the transition rate from primary to secondary school and raising the quality and relevance of Kenya’s education.

Research shows that Kenya has one of the most expensive secondary education system in Africa. Presently, fees for national and county schools range from KSh45,000 to KSh136,000 year, which is not affordable for many parents.

To be eligible for the scholarships, pupils should meet the cut-off mark set for each county, come from a needy background and have qualified for admission to either a public national or county secondary school.

“The cut off points have been adjusted for each county to reflect the actual performance in the county,” said Mrs Mwangi.

The scholarship application forms are available at all KCB branches across the country. Applicants should attach their KCPE results slip and letter of admission to a national or county school, for their application to be valid. The completed application form should then be presented during the interview sessions to be conducted in the third week of January across all counties. More information on the scholarships can be obtained from the KCB Branches countrywide. Only applicants from public primary schools are eligible for the scholarships.

KCB supports projects aimed at improving access and quality of education for needy students through provision of scholarships, learning materials and school infrastructure for public schools.