By Victor Ochieng’
vochieng.90@gmail.com.
Students should know various agencies that can help them secure merit-based study-abroad opportunities in universities and colleges found outside Kenya. Studying abroad is a fantastic phenomenon. Through it, students basically cross countries, continents, and oceans in hot pursuit of getting the best in education.
A classic case of study-abroad mission is what is attributed to the spellbinding orator – Tom Mboya. Professor B.A Ogot pens it in his latest tantalising treatise titled Tom Mboya: Life, Death and Disintegration of the Nascent Enterprise ‘Project Kenya’. Tom Mboya’s greatest gift to Africa was the philanthropic project of Kenyan Student Airlifts to America between 1959-1961. It is a unique story in the sense that the influx of Kenyans probably represented the largest wave of international students to arrive from a single country in such a short time to study in the United States and Canada. Robert F. Stephens called it Educational Odyssey. The first trip of 1959 had 81 students. The second one of 1960 had 288 students. In this special trip, besides Kenyan students, a few students came from other parts of East and Central Africa. The third airlift was in 1961 where over 300 students went to the United States to ‘eat’ books and ‘drink’ knowledge. The beneficiaries came from all parts of Kenya, and were selected majorly on merit.
Some of the notable beneficiaries of the airlift included Pamela Odede – daughter of Fanuel Walter Odede, and the future wife of Tom Mboya. There was Philip Ochieng’ – the grammatical guru and ginormous journalist. Professor Wangari Maathai, the eco-warrior and Nobel Laureate, was also part of it. Then there was Barrack Obama Senior – the father of the 44th POTUS – Barrack Obama Junior.
Among Tom Mboya’s scions, it is the last born, Dr. Susan Mboya, wife to Dr. Evans Kidero; that has kept this bright light ablaze. She epitomises her father’s vision of modern education for national development. Since 2002, Dr. Susan Mboya, who worked for Coca-Cola in South Africa, has been running a similar programme – the Zawadi Educational Fund – which sponsors belles who are bright but financially famished. She has been bankrolling girls’ studies locally, in Canada, United States and South Africa, with the majority wending to the United States. When the philanthropic drive started in 2002, only two good girls benefitted, but by 2009, 86 girls had received hope and help through it.
By and large, study-abroad chances, provide good guided transition into universities or colleges based abroad. The opportunity provide coveted chances marked with exhilarating exposure and excellent experiences. They provide infinite spectrum of opportunities. This is sometimes made possible through study-abroad agencies like Uniabroad, Imperial Education Consultants, Swiss Education Consultants, Edu-USA, Edu-Canada, Educare International, Universe Education, UNIPSS, Transworld, Education Consultants, Uni-SERV Education, Finds-Admission, and many more.
A shining example is Finds-Admission agency, which opens the eyes of high school scholars in relation to study-abroad opportunities. The golden goal is to help students see beyond the sea. In most of carefully-crafted career counselling programmes we roll out in schools, there are students who ask quality questions; they make enquires on how they can fly like birds, and study beyond the Kenyan borders. This is a dream that can come true. For dreams are seedlings of reality. What such students ought to know is that these are highly-competitive chances, which behooves them first of all to garner good grades in KCSE. Scoring top grades – B+ (plus) and above – is the real deal.
For them to apply to study abroad, they need scanned copies of: (a) KCSE certificates, (b) international passport, (c) data pay, and any other requisite document(s). When making applications, plenty of factors determine whether it would sail through or not. A gap of six months after KCSE will give the applicant(s) an upper hand. In case it is done after one year, the applicant(s) will be required to give sufficient reasons for the late application. Application fee can be applicable if need be.
Before the student applies to matriculate into universities based abroad, it is imperative to consider accreditation details and ranking of various universities in the world. It is not just about getting excited to go and study abroad, but it is all about becoming objective in such puissant pursuits. Discretion should reign. So that in the long run, it doesn’t become a wild goose chase.
Moreover, scholarship opportunities are open to all students who are interested. Somehow, the Kenyan government collaborates with other governments to facilitate fantastic exchange programmes. In the good book titled Career Manual, Godiah Rocky Imbukuleh and Benjamin Nzioka posit that: to secure a scholarship opportunity in a country like China, the student can start by downloading the application forms from the Ministry of Education (MoE) website: http://www.education.go.ke/. Then, s/he can proceed to the preliminary application form and attach the required certified, supporting documents –photocopies of national identity card, academic or professional certificates, transcript, birth certificate and other testimonials – a proposal in the area of study and a copy of the online submitted Chinese Government Scholarship (CSC) application form. There should be submission of three sets of the hard copy of the preliminary application form from the MoE and CSC application form with all the certified copies to the Directorate of University Education.
It is important to note. Securing a scholarship opportunity to study abroad comes with a fair share of (de)merits. On merits, when a student is awarded a scholarship, the money saunters straight to the college tuition – and sometimes; books, air ticket and upkeep. Scholarship money is not to be paid back like the one dished out by the Higher Loans Board (HELB). Pursuing a degree abroad gives the graduate cache of unique expertise, exposure and experience. It expands the graduate’s world view. In the process, more skills are garnered – like generic (soft) skills, transferable skills, 21st century skills and employability skills. Studying abroad strengthens the curriculum vitae of the graduate. It also expands one’s network.
In retrospect, studying abroad can come with chilling challenges and deep demerits. While studying abroad, one can be hit hard by culture shock, stereotypes and racism. Learning a new language and making friends may be a Herculean task. The student can suffer cash crunch when the tranche is depleted. Upon completion of studies, meeting the conditions to practise some careers back in the country can be a bit tedious and tiresome. A classic case is Law as a profession. For the lawyer to start a law firm or represent clients in the awful Temples of Justice, the attorney must first of all enroll for a Post-Graduate Diploma in Law at the Kenya School of Law (KSL). The programme takes around one year.
