BY VICTOR OCHIENG’
On Thursday, May 19, 2022, as a career counsellor in secondary schools, I attended the Worldview Education Fair to learn more about world of work. This was at Emara Oleseni Hotel along Mombasa Road, in Nairobi. The useful career event was powered by Find Admission, which is a study abroad agency steered by Mourine Nyongesa. The career fair had representatives from various universities spread in six countries found in the occidental world like: United Kingdom, United States, Canada, Germany, Australia and Hungary.
Ipso facto, we were given first-hand information pertaining universities based abroad, scholarship opportunities, application process and entry requirements. Most of the people who attended this critical career convocation, were Form Four leavers. Also, striplings from two boys’ schools were also chaperoned by their teachers. This was Wamy School and Highway High School.
By and large, students should know various agencies that can help them secure merit-based study-abroad opportunities in universities found outside Kenya. Studying abroad is a fantastic phenomenon. Through it, students basically cross countries and continents, in hot pursuit of the best education.
Somehow, a classic case of study-abroad mission is what is attributed to the spell-binding 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 in 1959, 1960 and 1961. Barrack Obama Senior and Professor Wangari Maathai were part of this impactful programme.
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Moreover, study-abroad opportunities provide smooth transition into universities or colleges based abroad. Through it, students get experience and exposure. They access infinite spectrum of opportunities. This is made possible through study-abroad agencies like Uni-abroad, Imperial Education Consultants, Swiss Education Consultants, Edu-USA, Edu-Canada, Edu-care International, Universe Education, UNIPSS, Transworld, Education Consultants, Uni-SERV Education, Find Admission, and many more.
Find Admission, as a study-abroad agency, opens the eyes of high school scholars in relation to available scholarship opportunities. The golden goal is to help them see beyond the sea. For in most career talks 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 behoove them first of all to garner good grades in KCSE like B+ (plus) and above. 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, a gap of six months after KCSE will give the applicant(s) an upper hand.
In actual sense, 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.
In addition, scholarship opportunities are open to all students who are interested. Somewhat, the Kenyan government collaborates with other governments to facilitate excellent 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, 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.
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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 exposure and experience. It expands the graduate’s world view. Studying abroad enhances wider scope of networks.
In retrospect, studying abroad can arrive with its fair share of challenges. For instance, while studying abroad, one can meet things like culture shock 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 home can be a bit tedious and tiresome. A classic case is Law. For the lawyer to start a law firm or represent clients in courts, the attorney must first of all enroll for a Post-Graduate Diploma in Law at the Kenya School of Law (KSL).
The writer rolls out career talks and training services in schools. vochieng.90@gamil.com
