Mandera Governor Launches Sh350 Million Free High School Education Program

Mandera Governor Mohamed Khalif has announced a free education program for all secondary school learners in the county.

Under the initiative dubbed ‘Elimu Kwa Wote’, the governor launched the Sh350 million 2022/2023 Mandera County Bursary Fund, which will cover tuition fees for all students enrolled in the county’s 59 government secondary schools.

The program, which will complement the NG-CDF bursary schemes, is expected to benefit more than 22,000 students in the county.

Part of the Sh350 million fund will go to the ward bursary fund to support Mandera County students attending school in other counties, Governor Khalif said.

"As promised in my manifesto, my government has allocated Sh350 million for bursary funds for this year. No child should thus be sent home for school fees,” said Khalif.

Speaking during the launch of the program, Mandera county director of education Abdi Sheikh warned school principals against sending students home for school fees.

"I want to assure all parents that no principal will send public secondary schools children home for failing to raise school fees. I will close the office of any principal who will dare go against this directive,” said Sheikh.

Governor Khalif also promised that his administration will continue supporting the girls’ affirmative action program started in 2019 by his predecessor Ali Roba.

He pledged to ensure that the 11 girls who joined Uskudar University in Turkey under the initiative complete their studies successfully and return home to contribute to the development of their home county and country.

Khalif is the first governor in the country to make all public secondary school education in their county free since the onset of devolution in 2013.