Teen mothers and pregnant teenagers are among those to be excluded from Khwisero constituency NG-CDF bursary and scholarship programs.
Area Mp Christopher Aseka instructed all school principals to identify the pregnant teens, the teen mothers and also unruly students who he says attend ” disco matangas” in their institutions and forward their names for termination of their scholarships.
“We cannot be crying of 14,000 teenage mothers who are students and be spending government resources to reward irresponsibility and misbehaviour. They must be punished by withdrawing the scholarships and giving them to others who want to utilise the funding to excel in their academics,” Aseka said.
According to the legislator, while addressing over 1000 parents and students set to benefit from the bursary programme, this will act as a form of punishment to what he termed as irresponsibility by learners who are misusing taxpayer’s money.
The MP was speaking at Mwihila Boys high school. Aseka said he will not allow government money to be wasted on irresponsible students due to their misbehavior adding that most pregnancies were due to irresponsibility. He added hat most of them on the scholarship program had dropped out.
“And if we find out that you are under CDF scholarship program and are pregnant we will automatically terminate your scholarship. I have no apologies for this,” he added.
He also said that he has seen a number of students removed from the program for being identified to be engaged in drug abuse or other forms of indiscipline.
“A number of the “irredeemably unruly students” have so far been removed from the programme, and more will be removed, especially those engaged in drug abuse or other forms of indiscipline.”
Aseka said many pregnant girls who were benefitting from the scholarship program had dropped out of schools laying blame on night activities during funerals and death anniversaries in the constituency to have contributed to teen pregnancies.
“We are serious with this program because we have seen it helping students advance their education. If a student is found showing disrespect to parents under this program their scholarship will also be terminated and that is why we want parents to take a lead role and own the program by sharpening their children to have good morals and discipline.”
Aseka pledged to work with parents and the local administration to identify and delist students on the programmes who attend “disco matangas”.
According to the 2022 Kenya Demographic and Health Survey, 20 counties reported the highest numbers of pregnancies among girls aged between 10 and 19 years.
Nairobi tops that list with 452 cases followed by Kakamega with 328. Other counties on the list include Bungoma, Nakuru, Kiambu, Kilifi, Meru, Kisii, Machakos and Narok.