At Sigiria Mixed Secondary School in Rongo, Migori County, a poignant scene unfolded when 70-year-old Judith Ogutu, who is blind, arrived at the school exhausted and clutching a small basket.
Inside the basket was a modest assortment of indigenous vegetables, valued at just KSh 250. It wasn’t much, but to her, it was everything.
Judith had walked for miles, driven not by wealth but by desperation and love for her grandson, Brian Ochieng—a bright Form Three student now facing an uncertain future due to a school fee balance of KSh 113,000.
With no stable income and no one else to turn to, the grandmother brought what little she had—the harvest from her small garden—as a heartfelt plea for mercy and understanding.
This heartbreaking incident is yet another reminder of the government of Kenya’s failure to deliver on its promise of free basic education. It exposes the harsh reality that bursary schemes run by Members of Parliament through the CDF and NGCDF kitties are often little more than hot air for many needy families.
It’s a stark reminder that governors and MCAs engage in public relations games, claiming to offer bursaries that rarely reach those most in need. If the government is truly serious about free education, it should collapse these PR-driven bursary programs and channel the funds directly to the Ministry of Education. Increased capitation is the only way to make free education a reality for all.
Article by Mwalimu Amunga