Elgeyo Marakwet Governor Wisely Rotich’s flagship PEPEA programme began in earnest on Wednesday, September 7, 2022, when he hosted a group of officials from the Finnish Metropolia University, which is the largest University of Applied Sciences in Finland.
The team was in the County to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the County that will see more students get opportunities to study and work in the European country.
And the Governor hosted the officials in his office in Iten where they discussed a wide range of opportunities in Finland that would be of benefit to local students.
The University officials included Jon Markus Holm, Harri Suominen, Anna Vekka and Linervo Jarkko who were led by their Kenyan Liasion, Ms Eunice Sugut.
Rotich told the delegation that he had initiated the PEPEA (airlift) programme to seek opportunities abroad for youth in Elgeyo Marakwet County.
He disclosed that he had opened an office to be headed by a Director to explore the opportunities and forge linkages.
Further, he requested the team to continue offering students from the County subsidized fees to enable as many youths to afford admission to the Finnish universities adding that there was the need to widen the course portfolio to cater for other disciplines.
“We also have Vocational Training Centres in this County and we can explore the idea of twinning your higher education institutions with the VTCs for learning exchange programmes,” Rotich said.
Speaking at the meeting, Ms Vekka noted that Elgeyo Marakwet was the pioneer County sending students to study in Finland adding that the students had shown remarkable hard work, focus and discipline.
Link to industry
“In addition, we have given your students work placements to link them to industry and they are allowed to work 30 hours using their student visa. That is why we are here to have more of your students come to Finland to learn from our universities, which are the best in the world,” she said.
On his part, Suominen said the universities had offered students from the County a 20% subsidy on tuition fees to enable them to afford the cost of studying in Finland.
He said the costs range from 8,000 to 11,000 Euros.
The Governor said the County would initiate a sensitization campaign to educate locals on all the opportunities available to enable them to make informed choices.
Further, he thanked the Finnish Embassy in Kenya for facilitating faster processing of visas for Elgeyo Marakwet students.
Present during the meeting was Deputy Governor Professor Grace Cheserek, and County Secretary Paul Chemmuttut among other senior County staff.
[…] Elgeyo Marakwet’s PEPEA Program Begins in Earnest […]