Published on April 10, 2025 by Agencies for Kenya Online News
Last Updated on 1 year by Agencies for Kenya Online News
KCB Foundation has flagged off 300 students into its Annual University Scholarship Programme.
The students join 588 others under the programme studying at different universities and colleges across the country.
The students make the fourth cohort of the programme which was piloted in 2021 under KCB’s annual education scholarship initiative. Under the programme, 10% of the opportunities are allocated to people with disability and 50% slots for girls. This includes learners facing financial difficulties due to orphanhood, harmful cultural practices such as FGM, teenage mothers as well as students from areas with high poverty indexes.
KCB has invested KES. 100 million towards supporting these students all through the duration of the course they have qualified for at Kenyan universities, colleges, technical or vocational training institutions. This will cater for tuition fees for the entire course, and regular mentorship for psychosocial support throughout the period of study.
Basic Education Principal Secretary, Julius Bitok noted: “We have made significant strides through initiatives such as the 100% Transition Policy from primary to secondary school, the Competency-Based Curriculum (CBC), which emphasizes skills development and holistic learning, and the continued support of the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB).
However, there is still room for public-private partnerships to bridge existing gaps and expand opportunities for all Kenyans, as we seek to drive our economy through a skilled workforce.”
On his part, KCB Group CEO, Paul Russo said: “Access to university education remains a significant challenge for many Kenyans due to the cost of studies. As such we intentionally seek out vulnerable and marginalized learners at risk of dropping out of school completely for our programme. Each of the students who join the KCB Scholars programme will secure an opportunity to make a change in society.
“Our commitment stems from our strong belief that it is every child’s right to access quality education given the crucial role it plays in shaping the societal economic prospects. By prioritizing education as a strategy for economic emancipation, KCB is helping to address societal challenges such as poverty, unemployment, and marginalization of underprivileged groups,” added Russo.
The university scholarship is inclusive of the annual mentorship to nurture the students on how to unlock opportunities within their areas of study and professional development.
