In the quiet interior of Narok County, where long dusty roads separate villages from classrooms, Lorenzo Naipa has written a story of courage that now inspires many. A student of Mutenkuar Secondary School, Naipa scored a B- (minus) in the recently released KCSE results, a remarkable achievement for a girl who walked more than five kilometres to school every day. Naipa’s journey through secondary school was marked by hardship. As a day scholar, she often left home before sunrise and returned late in the evening, tired but determined. Her parents struggled to raise school fees, as her other siblings were also enrolled in different colleges. Some days, Naipa went to school without breakfast or lunch, yet she never allowed hunger and fatigue to silence her dreams. With limited resources, she relied on borrowed textbooks, shared notes and the few hours she could find to revise at home. Teachers say she was quiet, focused and never missed a chance to learn, even whe...
For many vulnerable families in Kilgoris, bursaries represent more than financial support. They are the thin line between staying in school and dropping out. But behind the public assurances of transparency in the recent bursary disbursement lies a trail of unanswered questions, missing cheques and parents quietly nursing disappointment. An investigation into the bursary allocation process has uncovered several loopholes that are raising concerns among parents and guardians, many of whom say the system failed those who needed support the most. Some parents interviewed said they were never considered, despite being vulnerable and having school-going children. They claim their children now face an uncertain future after missing out on funding they had hoped would keep them in school. Others reported that although they applied, their bursaries were missing from the final list, with no clear explanation provided. There were also complaints that some beneficiaries appeared on th...