Nairobi: Parents of Uasin Gishu County who were affected after their children failed to secure admission to overseas universities despite paying millions to study in Finland and Canada through the Overseas Education Trust scholarship, are pleading for help from the government and well-wishers to help support their children realize their education dreams.
According to Kenya News Agency, through the Eldo 40 Vijana TuJiinue Vijana Tujisaidie Initiative, chaired by its Founder Hosea Kemei, the affected parents expressed disappointment and fear over the threats they receive while advocating for justice and fair treatment of the affected youths and parents in the Finland-Canada Overseas education saga.
Noah Kemboi, one of the parents, revealed that more than 200 students are still at home three years after the alleged Finland-Canada education scam happened in Uasin Gishu. The scam subjected parents to unbearable economic hardship after they lost all they had in terms of fees to pay for their children’s studies ab
road, which never came to fruition.
The parents plead with leaders and well-wishers to raise approximately Sh57 million to help the stranded students continue their studies in Kenyan colleges.
‘We plead with the president of this country Dr. William Ruto, a parent and a person we know will help us for he means well for our youth to come to our aid, find some money to help the students who are still at home, to enable them go to middle level colleges here in Kenya and even abroad if possible,’ noted Kemboi.
He underscored those 100 students among the 210 had the capacity to enroll in KMTC colleges, which requires Sh 24 million for the full medical course while the remaining require a tune of about Sh 20 million to secure admission in other tertiary institutions.
‘If we can raise approximately Sh 57 million, the students will be able to start their studies immediately without any challenge. We are asking our leaders and well-wishers to come to our aid, to raise money to help these students to continue with
their education to get gainful employment in the future to sustain their livelihoods,’ he added.
He called on the members of the public not to infuse politics in the initiative, noting that what they are trying to do is for the sake of the lives of the children and youth who are the future generation of the country.
Magdaline Rutto, one of the parents, pleaded with the members of the public to support them in a planned mega harambee scheduled for June 14 to raise funds for the affected 210 stranded youths, as she also called on the President, members of parliament and other leaders to intervene the matter so that their children can proceed with their academic life.
Asenath Okere, one of the affected students expressed disappointment over the incident that halted her education journey to study overseas.
‘We thought the county would help us brighten our future but everything went wrong after we paid all our money and failed to secure the scholarship. we are requesting for your help, we want to learn, time h
as passed but we still have hope,’ exclaimed the student.
She indicated that she was set to go to Canada, to pursue a bachelor’s degree in nursing at Thompson’s River University but all the plans did not materialize.
‘Some of us have given up with life since the incident happened, some have developed depression and mental-related illnesses. Some have even resorted to marriage after they lost hope in the bid to further their education,’ she complained.