2,000 academically promising scholars from needy backgrounds will benefit from comprehensive secondary school scholarships in the 2022/2023 Form One selection cycles fully funded by Equity Bank.
The Bank has contributed KShs 2 billion to Equity Group Foundation (EGF), the social impact arm of the Group in support of the Wings to Fly program that has successfully facilitated over 37,000 beneficiaries to access quality secondary school education in collaboration with other partners such as Mastercard Foundation, KfW, USAID, UKAID/DfID, World Bank/Government of Kenya, among others. The additional scholarships from Equity Bank bring the total scholarships so far implemented by EGF to 39,009.
Access to quality secondary school education remains a distant dream for many and especially the vulnerable in our communities. For the 2021 academic year, EGF had 10,705 slots for scholarship programs but received over 114,000 applications – the highest demonstrated level of need. This meant that the community scholarship selection boards had to identify 1 child from every 11 applications. It was disheartening for the deserving tens of thousands who were not fortunate to secure the scholarships and had no means of affording their secondary education. This is the call that Equity Bank is responding to by offering these scholarships.
The Wings to Fly program has distinguished itself as a watershed in developing the next generation of leaders. Through a comprehensive scholarship that offers full tuition, upkeep, shopping as well as a leadership training and mentorship, the program has continued to produce some of the best performing students in the Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (K.C.S.E.) examination.
The 2,000 scholarships will be distributed over the next two Form One intakes to coincide with the last cohorts of Kenya’s 8.4.4. system of education after which the country transitions to the competency base curriculum.
