The Ministry of Education and Homa Bay County have entered a one‑year arrangement that will finance bursaries and scholarships for learners in primary, secondary, special needs, university and other tertiary institutions deemed vulnerable.

Published in a Gazette notice on 30 October 2026, the pact authorises the county to draw the required money from its share of national revenue held in the County Revenue Fund.

The agreement was signed by Education Cabinet Secretary Julius Ogamba and Homa Bay Governor Gladys Wanga, with the stated aim of expanding inclusive education while strengthening oversight of fund allocation.

It operationalises a directive from the Office of the Controller of Budget that counties must formalise intergovernmental contracts before providing education‑related bursaries, thereby shifting limited bursary‑issuing responsibilities to the county level.

Under the deal, the national ministry will supply policy guidance, capacity‑building programmes for county staff and data on learners and institutions, and will circulate directives to school heads and education managers.

Homa Bay County will draft or adopt the necessary local statutes, earmark funds, conduct community sensitisation and issue operational guidelines for managing the bursary and scholarship pools, reporting progress to the County Assembly.

A joint technical committee of five officers from both governments will supervise implementation, convening twice a year, undertaking annual reviews and submitting financial statements to the National and County Assemblies within two weeks after each fiscal year ends.

The pact requires clear criteria for identifying vulnerable students, strict record‑keeping, audits by internal auditors and the Auditor General, and compliance with the Data Protection Act on personal data handling.

Funding will depend on the county’s fiscal capacity, though additional resources may be sought from development partners pending approval, and all procurement must follow the Public Procurement and Asset Disposal Act of 2015.

The agreement remains effective for twelve months from signing; either party may request a three‑month‑notice extension before expiry or terminate the contract with three months’ written notice if obligations are not met, without affecting existing rights.

Attorney General Dorcas Oduor witnessed the signing for the Ministry, while County Attorney Fredrick Orego did so for Homa Bay, confirming that public participation and stakeholder consultations informed the final terms.