KCB Group through the KCB Foundation will extend scholarships worth Ksh. 131 million to university students, deepening its play in supporting the education sector over the next 10 years.
The Foundation has revamped its scholarship programme to incorporate University scholarships in its portfolio, in addition to the existing high school scholarship programme.
The scholarships will benefit top 50 performers from the high school programme, catering for the tuition fee in any public university in Kenya, starting with the 2020 KCSE class.
Speaking at the launch of the programme, KCB Group Director Marketing, Corporate Affairs and Citizenship Rosalind Gichuru said, “Education plays a pivotal role as a sustainable means to alleviate poverty and generate positive lasting change. This is our commitment to enabling the young people craft a better future for themselves. The students we support are all bright, underprivileged youth whose exemplary performance demonstrates value of the scholarship programme.”
Likewise, the University Scholarship Programme will facilitate a smooth transition for the top 50 performers who attain a mean grade of A and A-. This will also include the best 2 students living with disabilities each year from the KCB Foundation High School programme.
“By extending this package to university, we are taking a step further in guaranteeing a brighter future for each beneficiary. It will not only benefit the individual but also their family, community, and ultimately the nation,” Rosalind added.
The eligible students will receive laptops to commence their studies with the scholarships applicable for both university Module I, Module II and any tertiary institution recognized by Ministry of Education.
This follows the KCB Foundation annual apprenticeship programme that was introduced in May, where the top 50 from their 2020 high school scholarship cohort got a three-month apprenticeship at their local KCB Bank branch.
The KCB scholarship programme started 14 years ago with the aim of supporting efforts to increase the transition rate from primary to secondary school. The KCB Foundation supports 240 students from across Kenya annually, 40 of them Persons with Disability, by providing a full four-year scholarship in public schools catering for school fees, stationery, and uniforms.
The programme has had a total of 3100 beneficiaries since 2007, 1,070 students are currently in school, with 240 recruited for the class of 2021.