- A week ago, Governor Bii said the county had suspended the programme until investigations had been completed by the EACC and other agencies.
- Uasin Gishu county has been coordinating the programme and acting as a guarantor for the students.
Image: MATHEWS NDANYI
Uasin Gishu county has flagged off more students heading to Finland amid the ongoing row over the overseas education programme.
The programme ran into trouble after some of the universities in Finland threatened to deport students whose fees had not been forwarded by the county.
Deputy Governor John Barorot presided over the flagging off ceremony for 44 students who will be heading to LUT University in Finland for further studies.
A week ago, Governor Jonathan Bii said the county had suspended the programme until investigations had been completed by the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission and other relevant agencies.
The county has been coordinating the programme and acting as a guarantor for the students but some of the money collected as fees through a trust was remitted to the respective universities.
The Finland programme was initiated during the regime of former governor Jackson Mandago.
Three officials linked to the scam have since been suspended to allow for investigations by the EACC.
“The new cohort of students we are flagging off are those who were already in the programme and had been learning online as they waited for clearance to travel," the deputy governor said.
Speaking during the event held at the county headquarters in Eldoret town, Barorot challenged the students to be good ambassadors while in Finland.
He affirmed the county government’s commitment to ensuring the Finland studies programme is refined to seal loopholes that might be used to take advantage of students and parents.
“We will refine the programme by sorting out the challenges we have been having so that more students can benefit,” he said.
On her part, the Education executive Janeth Kosgei said the county is working on expanding the programme to more countries.
“When you get out there, work hard, work smart so that you’re the best in your career,” Kosgei said.
Parents of the students headed to Finland thanked the county for initiating the programme that has given an opportunity for their children to study abroad. They expressed optimism that despite the challenges the initiative has faced, it will benefit more students.
During the event, the 44 students were issued with air tickets, residence permits and visas. They will pursuing engineering courses such as energy engineering, environmental, mechanical engineering and electrical engineering.
Some of the parents affected in the Finland education scam in Uasin Gishu are now demanding a refund of all the money they paid to the county government.
The parents, who had last week met in Eldoret, were led by Barnabas Murrey and Mary Kiptoo. They said they needed the money they had given to the county to enable them pay fees.
"We are now required to pay fees before end of this month yet the county is withholding the money we paid to them," they said.