|
NAIROBI (Xinhua)
-- A ceremony was held at the
Chinese Embassy in Kenya on Thursday to bid farewell to
140 Kenyan students who have received scholarships to
study in China.
Chinese
Ambassador to Kenya Liu Xianfa noted in his opening
remarks that China-Kenya cooperation in education that
has blossomed in recent times has unleashed mutual
benefits.
“The Chinese
government has been offering scholarships to Kenya
annually since 1982 and then doubled the quota in 2011.
At present, more than 1,400 Kenyan students are studying
in China,” said Liu.
He revealed
that the Chinese government has so far provided about
1,000 scholarships to Kenyan students.
The
Ambassador noted that both the Chinese government and
corporations have been at the forefront of upgrading
skills among Kenyan youth in order to enable them become
self-reliant.
“Apart from
programs sponsored by the Chinese government, more
education and training opportunities are being provided
by Chinese companies to Kenyan employees and young
people,” said Liu.
The Kenyan
government is keen to strengthen bilateral cooperation
with China in the area of education in a bid to create a
critical pool of skilled personnel that are required to
power industrial progress in the country.
Chairman of
Commission for University Education in Kenya Chacha
Nyaigotti-Chacha said on behalf of Cabinet Secretary for
Education Fred Matiangi that Kenya will tap into youth
trained in China to implement flagship energy and
infrastructure projects.
“Kenya has
been earmarked to train for the northern corridor states
in eight key areas ranging from maritime studies to oil
and gas extraction. The beneficiaries are expected to
come back and help develop the region,” said
Nyaigotti-Chacha.
He urged
beneficiaries of China-funded scholarships to improve on
technical and soft skills that are critical to survive
in a cutting edge job market.
Kenyan youth
who were awarded the 2017 China funded scholarships were
upbeat on securing gainful employment once they
completed the courses.
Ibrahim
Osman, an 18-year-old son of a pastoralist from northern
Kenya, said he looked forward to becoming an
accomplished medical officer once he completed a degree
course in clinical medicine in China.
“My
childhood dream of becoming a Doctor has been fulfilled
and intends to pursue the degree in clinical medicine
with vigor while in China,” said Osman.
.
UPDATE:
China-funded
scholarships reawaken career dreams of Kenyan youth
NAIROBI (Xinhua) --
Kenya’s Ibrahim Osman
was exposed to the vagaries of life at a tender age,
having been born in the semi-arid Mandera County where
natural disasters and inter-communal hostilities over
grazing land and water points are the norm.
The 18-year-old son of an elderly pastoralist from
northern Kenya was determined to pursue formal education
despite myriad obstacles, aware that it could open new
opportunities in future.
Osman was among 140 Kenyan youth who benefited from
this year’s scholarships funded by the Chinese
government to pursue elite disciplines like law,
medicine and engineering in the Asian giant’s leading
universities.
Speaking to Xinhua at a pre-departure ceremony for
beneficiaries of China-funded scholarships on Thursday,
Osman was upbeat a degree in clinical medicine will
transform his life and that of communities in the remote
corners of northern Kenya.
"As a son of a cattle herder, I’m accustomed to
life’s drudgeries hence my determination to study hard
in school and achieve my childhood dream of becoming a
doctor
The opportunity to study in China is golden and
will have a positive bearing in my future and that of my
community," Osman said.
He graduated from high school last year and was among
top scorers in national exams and was alerted by a
mutual friend to apply for a scholarship funded by the
Chinese government early this year.
"The thought of being selected for the Chinese
government scholarship program sounded like a mirage in
the beginning since I had minimal interaction with the
rest of the world," said Osman.
He vowed to utilize his study tour in China to gain
insight on a rich culture while acquiring knowledge on
the latest discoveries in medicine.
At the same time, Osman said he will relocate back to
Kenya after completing his under-graduate degree in
clinical medicine and contribute to the transformation
of health sector in the country.
"More importantly, I look forward to providing
badly-needed health services in my locality where
poverty, broken infrastructure, insecurity and harsh
terrain have conspired to worsen the disease burden,"
Osman said.
Kenyan youth who benefited from this year’s
China-funded scholarships will start their
under-graduate and post-graduate degree courses soon.
They were selected through a competitive process and
will in future join the rank of highly skilled
professionals the East African Nation is counting on to
power its industrial progress.
Wamuca Kimani, a 24-year-old law graduate in a local
private university was delighted to secure a scholarship
to study for a masters in international law at Xiamen
University in East China’s Fujian province.
The ambitious youth has always dreamt of a career in
diplomacy or international commerce and hopes that an
opportunity to study in China will bring him nearer to
the goal.
"I was elated upon learning that I had been selected
to study in China for a masters in international law
under a fully funded government scholarship scheme. My
parents and siblings too are excited about this new
milestone," Kimani told Xinhua.
Her longtime friend, Vanessa Atieno was also excited
by the prospect of joining Beijing-based Communication
University of China where she will pursue a
post-graduate degree in communications.
The 23-year-old daughter of middle class urban
professionals intends to utilize her study tour in China
to forge long-term friendships, improve proficiency in
spoken mandarin and sample globally acclaimed cuisine in
her new abode.
"Like everyone else, am delighted to join a
prestigious university in China and pursue a career that
I have always cherished since childhood. I hope to land
a job in an international media agency upon finishing
the masters degree," said Atieno.
Paul Muisyo, a 36-year-old government worker, likened
the opportunity to study in China for a masters degree
program in business administration to a leap into a
bright new dawn.
"Given my humble background, it would have been
unimaginable that one day I would board a plane and head
to a foreign land for further studies.
"The Chinese government scholarship will fulfill my
long-cherished dream of becoming a successful
entrepreneur," said Muisyo.
The Chinese government has been offering annual
scholarship to Kenyan youth to pursue courses of their
choice since the two countries formalized diplomatic
ties decades ago.
Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Liu Xianfa disclosed that
Beijing has so far provided about 1,000 government
scholarships to Kenyan students in a bid to upgrade
their skills and enhance their ability to survive in a
fiercely competitive job market.
"This year, we are providing 128 scholarships of
different types to young Kenyan students," said Liu,
adding that Chinese firms have also been at the
forefront in providing technical skills to Kenyan youth. |
