Uasin Gishu Governor Jackson Kiplagat Mandago's vision was praised in the top European newspaper on Tuesday, August 17.
Mandago was featured by Finland's top newspaper, Aamulehti, after successfully securing scholarships and job opportunities for youth from his county.
The deal signed between Uasin Gishu County Government and Finland, will see the devolved unit send 51 students in September to go and pursue Nursing at Tampere University of Applied Sciences.
The same number secured a slot for the next enrolment set for January 2022. Mandago is targeting more than 300 students to have gone to Finland before his term ends.
The county also entered into an agreement with Tampere City which will pave way for the students to be offered part-time jobs as they learn, to enable them to cater for their fees and other personal needs.
Mandago also secured the first scholarship for Uasin Gishu students in 2020 where 25 students were picked to go to Finland.
They were picked after a suitability test conducted by a Finnish University at the Kenya Medical Training College (KMTC) but they were supposed to cater for their own expenses.
The Governor congratulated the students for successfully going through the selection process noting that they were the first cohort students from Uasin Gishu.
“You are the pioneers of this partnership and I want you to go to Finland and do our county and your parents proud. This will pave way for other students who will come after you. Please be our good ambassador," he stated.
MaxGlobal Group CEO Cornelius Kiplagat was instrumental in brokering the partnership between Uasin Gishu and Tampere University.
Kiplagat argued that Finland had the best education system in the world that attracts students from superpowers like the United States and the United Kingdom.
“I must warn you that you have to take your studies seriously. If you mess around, you will be discontinued and deported back home. Finland has strict systems and you should not disregard them,” he stated during the official announcement of the first beneficiaries of the programme.
