As Kenya's education sector faces mounting challenges, the effectiveness of its bursary system is under scrutiny. The newly introduced model for higher education funding is encountering problems, raising the question: Can Kenya consolidate its bursaries into a single, efficient entity? Additionally, how does the involvement of politicians in bursary allocation impact the system, and what can we learn from best practices around the world?
Kenya's current bursary system, designed to aid students from low-income families, is fragmented. Various funds are managed by different entities, including the National Government Constituencies Development Fund (NG-CDF), government entities such as the Jomo Kenyatta Foundation, county governments, and private organisations.