THE SECTORAL COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION, YOUTH AFFAIRS, GENDER AND SOCIAL SERVICES MEETS CECM MEMBER DR. EDGAR OTUMBA .
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Monday, 16th September, 2024
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The sectoral committee On Education, Youth Affairs, Gender and Social Services chaired by North Sakwa MCA Hon. Oliver Arika today in pursuit of the oversight mandate, had a consultative engagement with the Departments’ CECM Member Dr. Edgar Otumba and Chief Officer Dr. Nicholas Kut Ochogo on The Status of the Bursary Fund Disbursement for the FY 2023/24, Roll out of school feeding program for FY, 2024/25 and The Release of the Capitation funds of VTCs for FY, 2023/24.
The Committee members through the Chair, sort for clarification on the impacts of the bursary launch that was done by the department in selected schools within the county and the delays in remittances of bursary money to schools.
The CECM Member in his presentation, stated that the purpose of the fund was to assist vulnerable students in post primary institutions with a total beneficiary of 16,009 students in the FY 2023/24.
He pointed on the need to have public engagement on the bursary allocation since it gives insight to challenges the fund has been facing and the areas to work on to better impacts of the funds. He further informed that the delay in disbursement was caused by the conflicting lists that emanated from the wards and the allocations above the budgetary provisions.
The County government had allocated ksh. 110.6 Million (Ksh. 90 Million as Executive allocations and Ksh. 20.6 Million as Ward Based Allocation) that was disbursed using electronic fund transfer to various institutions.
Dr. Otumba committed to work on the regulations governing the bursary fund and also ensure that by January 2025, the schools will open after the funds have been disbursed.
The Chief Officer Dr. Ochogo committed to FastTrack the release of funds for capitation of VTCs for FY, 2023/24 by the County treasury as per the resolution of a joint meeting between the committee and the department of education and finance held on Monday, September 16, 2024.
On the feeding program, Dr. Otumba informed the committee that the program was intended to curb malnutrition using the fortified porridge, boost enrolment and retainership of the school going children.
A member suggested that the department to make the program a soft flagship project since it would heavily contribute in human growth and development.
Dr. Otumba informed the committee that the department has allocated 60 Million and is working with other partners to Operationalize the school feeding program budget for the FY, 2024/25 and the school feeding policy to help roll out the program by January 2025.
The committee chairperson Hon Arika encouraged the department to mobilize more resources to ensure sustainability of the program, employ monitoring and evaluation to reduce pilferage at the point of consumption involves the committee members and the house at every stage of implementation of the program.
