Chinese scholarship winners urged to return to build Kenya

Prof. Chacha Nyaigoti Chacha, Chairman of the Commission for the University of Education in Kenya. [Photo by Lucie Morangi/chinadaily.com.cn]

Liu also called on students to be law abiding, as well as learn the Chinese culture and heritage which has been in existence for more than 5000 years.

"Chinese students have been known to be diligent," he said.

"These are the characteristics needed to push forward the aspirations of the Kenyan people too."

On behalf of the Cabinet Secretary of Education Fred Matiang'i, Chairman of the Commission for the University of Education in Kenya Chacha Nyaigoti Chacha acknowledged the contribution made by the Chinese government in a capacity building.

"The students proceeding on scholarships need to target the employment opportunities within the university sector after their graduation with master and doctorate degrees," he said.

While appealing for more scholarships to shore up the local talent pool, he revealed 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 Northern Corridor is a multimodal trade route linking the landlocked countries of the Great Lakes Region, with the Kenyan maritime sea port of Mombasa. The treaty, signed in 1985 and revised in 2007, is developing infrastructure which will facilitate interstate and transit trade between the member states of Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda and South Sudan.

The Chinese Government has been offering scholarships to Kenya annually since 1982 and doubled the quota in 2011.