Ntutu advocates for the collapse of numerous bursary funds into one kitty

Narok Governor Patrick ole Ntutu has said there is no issue with the government consolidating all bursary funds into a single kitty, if the goal is to ensure that all school-going children access free education. He was responding to Senators who questioned why his administration had prioritised bursaries.

Appearing before the Senate Education Committee, Governor Ntutu explained that Narok is one of the largest counties in the country, with some semi-arid areas experiencing low school enrolment. He added that bursaries given over the years have encouraged more students to complete their studies.

“Most governors have no problem with bursaries being consolidated into one kitty, provided the funds are used to offer free education to all Kenyan students. This would ensure broader reach, unlike the current set-up,” said Ntutu.

He noted that his administration had spent Sh1.3 billion on school bursaries in the past three years, supporting needy students in secondary schools and tertiary institutions.

Laikipia Senator John Kinyua raised concerns over the bursary budget being significantly higher than the allocation for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in the past three years. He cited the current financial year, where bursaries were allocated Sh600 million, compared to Sh123 million for TVET.

In response, Ntutu explained that the county’s education sector was allocated Sh1.9 billion in the 2022/2023 financial year, Sh1.7 billion in 2023/2024, and Sh2 billion in 2024/2025, with a focus on improving learning outcomes.

“I would like to inform the Senate that I regularly liaise with Members of the National Assembly and County Assembly to avoid duplication in bursary allocation, and to ensure that as many students as possible benefit from these programmes,” said Ntutu.

Nominated Senator Margaret Kamar expressed concern that the county lacks a feeding programme for Early Childhood Development Education (ECDE). The governor promised to include it in the next financial year’s budget, blaming the delay on late disbursement of funds by the Exchequer.

Ntutu told the committee that total ECDE enrolment in the county stands at 80,144 pupils, with 66,376 enrolled in public ECDE centres managed by the county government, and 13,768 enrolled in private centres.

He added that the indicative cost of providing basic ECDE infrastructure in Narok County—including construction, furnishing, and essential facilities—varies by project, with an average cost of Sh35,837 per pupil.

“The Sh35,837 includes the provision of essential facilities such as classrooms, age-appropriate toilet facilities compliant with public health regulations, and basic educational instructional resources, including approved textbooks,” he said.