More Kenyans to benefit from scholarships

New grants will help address current challenges, including weak links between academia and the private sector

China is giving more scholarships to Kenyan students than any other country. Moreover, according to official data from Kenya's education, science and technology ministry, the program is seriously shoring up the number of PhD holders in the East African country at a time there is a notable deficit in institutions of higher learning.

The Chinese embassy in Kenya put the number of students headed for studies in their country at 150, 30 more than last year. India offered 52 scholarships, the same as last year.

Data from the Kenyan government show that 83 percent of the Chinese scholarships processed by the country's Department of Higher Education this year involved postgraduates, with more than half of the students undertaking their PhD studies at Chinese institutions.

The additional scholarships have significant implications for the sector, especially after the regulator, the Commission for University Education, or CUE, released guidelines stating that only PhD holders would be allowed to lecture at universities.

The directive takes effect next year.

Moreover, the country is working toward a knowledge economy. Kenya's development blueprint, Vision 2030, identifies ICT as a catalyst in its bid set development goals.

"We are facing shortages in human capital and capacity in IT and infrastructure sectors," says Chacha Nyaigoti-Chacha, the chairman of CUE. "The move by China is commendable as far as our future planning is concerned, especially in increasing the number of master's and PhD degrees."

To be eligible for the scholarship, students need to be working in the public sector and interested in energy, mining, IT, architecture or social sciences. These, according to Nyaigoti-Chacha, are priority areas for the country.

He believes that the effort to train more Kenyans in China will also help address the current challenges, such as weak links between academia and the private sector.

"The future lies in the fact that training from China can be applied upon return, and students will be working on innovation that will be directly applied to the economy of this country," he says.

He compares it with China's experience, where the country sent its best students to Western countries to acquire relevant skills that were later utilized in its own development.

"Right now I am pleased that the knowledge is found in China, especially in the sciences and infrastructure, where it has invested heavily in the recent past."

Attending the recent pre-departure event hosted by the Chinese embassy in Kenya, the chairman noted that more Kenyans have left the country for China through alternative means without necessarily passing through the Ministry of Education.

In addition to the government scholarships, others were issued by China's Ministry of Commerce through the Economic and Commercial counselor's office and Confucius Institutes. This is in addition to eight outstanding scholarships given out annually.

China's ambassador to Kenya noted that more universities have opened their doors to Kenyan students.

"Some students will go to Harbin, a northeastern city in China with cold winters that is famous for its beautiful ice sculptures. And some will go to Changsha, where they will enjoy hot weather and hot food," Liu Xianfa says.

According to a study by a student and professor from Michigan State University, China is the second-most popular destination for African students studying abroad, ahead of the United States and United Kingdom. The article states that in less than 15 years, the number of African students surged from under 2,000 in 2003 to almost 50,000 in 2015.

Besides the government implementing its pledge from the 2015 Forum for China-Africa Cooperation of providing at least 30,000 scholarships to African students by 2018, African students who are self-sponsored are pursuing quality, affordable education in China, the study says.

Cliff Mboya, who is undertaking a PhD in international politics at Shanghai's Fudan University, says strong emphasis is placed on practical training and research.

"The university is keen that students undertake and complete research that will have an impact on government policies and will systematically assist graduate students in managing their projects. This, I think, is important when I return back to Kenya and join the teaching staff of a university," he says.

A beneficiary of a government scholarship sponsored by China's Ministry of Commerce, he says the program does not simply pay tuition, board, upkeep and return airfare. He also receives a stipend to buy books needed for his studies.

India is another country that is offering more scholarships. Ministry data show the Asian country offering 52 programs, the same as last year. However, it bars Kenyans from studying medicine, pharmacy, dentistry and other health related courses. The advertisement on the ministry's website also does not specify the number of postgraduate programs being offered.

lucymorangi@chinadaily.com.cn

(China Daily Africa Weekly 09/22/2017 page28)