Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has vowed to intervene on the high fees Kenyan students are charged in South Africa.
While meeting the leadership of the Kenya Diaspora Association in South Africa on Friday, the DP highlighted the challenges faced by Kenyan students pursuing education in SA.
According to issues that emanated during the meeting, Kenyans studying in South Africa are subjected to high school fees.
In his maiden speech, on the sidelines of Cyril Ramaphosa's inauguration, DP Gachagua attributed high fees charged in South Africa to foreign nationals.
He asserted all students affected would be included in the Higher Education Loans Board (HELB) program to cushion them from the huge fees they incur.
"We have the issue of school fees for Kenyan children who are charged very highly because they are deemed to be foreigners. We will let them be included in the HELB program," the DP said.
He further expressed his commitment to expedite the process and ensure the challenge is resolved, as such, he promised to discuss with the Ministry of Education and the head of state.
Some of the challenges that Kenyans living in South Africa grapple with include: high Kenyan airline tickets as compared to airlines in the neighborhood and an unconducive environment for trade and investment.
The second in command left the country on Tuesday for an official visit to represent President William Ruto at Cyril Ramaphosa's swearing-in ceremony following his re-election.
He delivered a congratulatory message from President Ruto at the Inauguration on Wednesday, June 19, 2024, in Pretoria.
This comes four months after President William Ruto met the South African president at the African Union headquarters in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The agreement by the two heads of state was to strengthen trade and education ties between the two countries.
One of the resolutions was to reinstate visa-free entry between the two countries.
"A year ago, these ties received a big boost after our two countries eased visa regimes for the citizens of both nations," he added.
