Finland issues statement on Uasin Gishu County scholarships saga

Finish ambassador to Kenya Pirka Tapiola says there was no agreement between Finland and the Uasin Gishu County regarding education scholarships.

Speaking to KTN News, the envoy said the agreement between them was purely commercial and that the over 200 Kenyan students studying in different universities in Finland will have to pay the remaining fees for the programme to continue.

Earlier this week, the Vice President of Tampere University of Applied Sciences Ari Sivula wrote a letter to the students of the university stating that the cooperation agreement between the institution and the county government had been terminated on March 1, 2023 due to unpaid tuition and accommodation fees.

"The University is doing its best to find the solution and to secure continuation of your studies by negotiating with another party to take over collecting and paying the fees to the university. We will inform you when agreements are reached," the letter read in part.

Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii is today expected to hold a crisis meeting in regard to the scholarship programme saga that was initiated during the tenure of his predecessor Jackson Mandago to support students from Uasin Gishu.

Through a letter, the Governor called his County Executive Committee to discuss the county-coordinated overseas education programme.

The affected students include 111 at Tampere University, 25 students at Jvaskyla University and 66 others at Laurea University.

.

Keep Reading

• Women urged to apply for plastic surgery scholarships

In a statement, the governor noted that part of the requirement for the enrolment of the program is six months of accommodation, payment of first semester fees and proof of payment attached during visa applications.