KCB Foundation has today flagged off 1,000 students for the 2024 scholarship class that will benefit from a Kshs. 800 million sponsorship to enable them to undertake their secondary education.
The scholarship will cater for tuition fees, stipend, uniforms, transport, set books, as well as regular mentorship and psychosocial support. It will also cater for their tertiary education school fees.
The learners, who were commissioned by Education Cabinet Secretary Ezekiel Machogu will join various secondary schools across the country this week.
Speaking during the commissioning ceremony in Nairobi, KCB Group CEO Paul Russo said: “We are playing our part in transforming the lives of young people through education support. We are opening doors of opportunity for the disadvantaged bright learners in our society who would otherwise not have accessed secondary education.”
The 2024 class forms the 17th cohort of the scholar’s program, including the 2,462 students currently in high school and 498 in tertiary institutions. The programme has so far sponsored over 4,600 students since inception.
This year, KCB Foundation, the social investment arm of KCB Group received over 12,000 applications, making it the highest turnout since the programme’s inception in 2007.
“KCB Group’s deliberate effort to identify underprivileged students for support to continue with the secondary school education indeed complements the government’s efforts towards achieving the 100 per cent transition.” noted the CS.
This year, KCB Foundation piloted a student athletic programme in alignment with the Competency-Based Curriculum. As such, this cohort includes 50 student-athletes who will receive their scholarship as well as athletics coaching at identified centers of excellence to nurture their talent to world-class athletes.
The KCB programme targets bright students from underprivileged backgrounds, with 100 slots allocated to Persons with Disabilities and 500 slots to girls – including gifted and talented individuals, students rescued from FGM, early marriage and teenage mothers.
Under the programme, all the high school beneficiaries who sit the KCSE examination receive 100% school-fee support in the university and tertiary scholarships.
The revamped KCB Foundation education scholarship program also includes a 3-month apprenticeship post-KCSE results at KCB branches countrywide for all the beneficiaries commencing with the 2022 class.
