Awendo MP Jared Kopiyo addressing the press in Awendo town
Students from Awendo constituency have sharply differed over a proposal by area MP Jared Kopiyo to establish revolving loan to fund higher education.
According to the proposal Awendo CDF will establish the loan with Higher Education Loans Board.
Two groups of students supporting and against Kopiyo’s proposal stormed CDf offices seeking redress and verbally abusing each other.
A group against the idea presented their written petition to the CDF Fund manager claiming that the kitty is their right and it cannot be issued in form of loan through.
A rival group supported the idea as a means to enable many students from the constituency get money to fund their education especially those students who may not qualify for the HELB loan.
But Funds manager Ronald Kagai said that their main concern is to avail more funds for the students from Awendo constituency besides the normal bursary that can only benefit a total of
102 students per year.
Kagai said that the committee has not implemented the programme and blamed politicians against the MP for fuelling the unrest.
“The issue has been politicised and students should present their grievances in a better
way,” he said.
Sakwa Central MCA Johstone Owiro said Kopiyo should call other local leaders in a meeting to solve the controversial revolving fund initiative.
“The best is public participation to decide on the initiative before implementing it,” he said.
I cleary and fully support Kopiyo, being a member of Awendo consttuency, a student at Mount Kenya University, I need to learn and achieve my goal together with other fellows
I have always liked the amount our MP, Kopiyo, awards university students though I, personally, have never received any bursary despite the incessant application I have made. It’s good to form HELB-CDF bursary liaison because it eases the process of application. However, the issue of going upto the area chief to sign applicant’s form is hectic and retrlgressive. I personally don’t see the importance of following such process, especially during this digital era. Every application should be done online to avoid mishandling of applicants’ application forms.
Moreover, students should be update on any change to the procedures of applications. For example, many students were not aware of this liaison until application timeline passed.
I’m a student at Moi University who would like everything to be done transparently and fairly especially in the allocation of bursary to students.