KCB Group Plc, through its social investment arm KCB Foundation will extend scholarships to university students, deepening its play in supporting the education sector.
The Foundation has revamped its scholarship programme to incorporate University scholarships in its portfolio, in addition to the existing high school scholarship programme to the tune of KShs. 131 million over the next ten years.
The top 50 performers from the high school programme will now receive university scholarships catering for the tuition fee in any public university in Kenya, commencing 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. 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”
KCB Group Director Marketing, Corporate Affairs and Citizenship Rosalind Gichuru
The University Scholarship Programme will facilitate a smooth transition for the top 50 performers who attain a mean grade of A and A- and the best 2 students living with disabilities each year, from the KCB Foundation High School programme.
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 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. Additionally, each of the students is assigned a mentor from their local KCB Bank home branch for quarterly one-on-one mentorship sessions.
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.