Faith Masita
Thirty-four county governments have signed agreements with the Ministry of Education allowing them to continue funding bursary and scholarship programmes, even as Members of Parliament question the legal basis of the arrangements.
The concerns emerged during a parliamentary committee session where lawmakers sought clarification from the Intergovernmental Relations Technical Committee (IGRTC) on how counties are legally funding education support programmes.
Lawmakers Question Constitutional Basis of County Bursaries.
MPs argued that education remains largely a national government function under the Constitution and warned that counties could be spending public funds on responsibilities not expressly assigned to them.
According to IGRTC, the counties signed Intergovernmental Partnership Agreements (IPAs) with the Ministry of Education, providing a framework for devolved units to continue offering bursaries and scholarships.
The agreements were introduced after disputes over the legality of county-funded bursaries led to the suspension of several programmes.
Lawmakers are now demanding greater legal and financial clarity to ensure the arrangements comply with constitutional requirements and public finance laws. The outcome of the review could influence how counties support needy learners in the future while safeguarding accountability in the use of public funds.
