By Elijah Gichunge

Photo; Florence Njeri

The Department of Education and Technology held a progress monitoring meeting with more than 180 high school students who are on the County Government Scholarship program.

While presiding over the meeting, the Chief Officer in charge, Mr. Haron Kanathi, said the County Government intended to follow up on the students' performance and strategize on how best the department can help in their improvement. He said the Governor is committed to help the students even do better by ensuring the scholarship funds are availed in time.

Further, he asked the learners to take good time in setting right their priorities, while building good characters, by dropping anything importunate that would interfere with their concentration. This, he said would help transform their academics.

Additionally, he encouraged them to make necessary environmental observations while taking heed to the teachers' advice as it is this that would strengthen their candidature for excellence.

Director ECDE, Monica Kagwima, said the scholarship is both an excellent and life changing opportunity that, if well utilized, can make a big turn around on education endeavors of the less fortunate.

She urged the students not to fear but take note of the prevailing negative influence that would hamper their learning and face them indomitably with a great desire for transformation.

James Kiringuri, a parent from Tigania West, thanked the County Government for sustaining the support terming help to the less fortunate as being one sure way of making Meru great. He pointed out that he was hopeless when he lost his herd of cattle to rustlers soon after her daughter's 387 marks, KCPE results, were out. He said her daughter was admitted to Bsp. Gatimo High school, but he had nothing to do since his only source of school fees was on the cattle he lost.

Her Colleague, Carol Kimaita from Buuri, equally hailed the program saying it has helped their children in dream realization. She encouraged the parents across the County to socially support the learners without gender biasness for increased outputs.

Lennox Kimathi and Nancy Kanathi, students from Alliance and Bsp. Gatimo High schools respectively, thanked the County administration saying their learning has been greatly enhanced through the scholarship, as they have a stress free learning experience.