Kenyans rush to secure Turkish scholarships

By Andrew Wasike

NAIROBI, Kenya (AA) - Hundreds of Kenyans turned up in the capital Wednesday to get more information on securing scholarships and the chance to study at top universities in Turkey.

The Turkish scholarships promotion meeting was organized by the Presidency for Turks Abroad and Related Communities (YTB) in coordination with the Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA) and the Turkish Embassy in Nairobi.

Speaking during the event, Murat Kazanci, head of culture and social affairs with the YTB, urged all Kenyans to apply for the scholarships, noting that those who get selected will not have to apply for university placements, which are already included in the package.

“Each year, we add 4,000-5,000 scholarship holders to our program. We are conducting face to face interviews in around 100 countries each year. Our program covers all the study levels and we are providing scholarships plus university placements at the same time,” he said.

Emre Yuksek, TIKA coordinator in Kenya, for his part noted that the number of students in Kenya’s universities was up 24% in 2018, but contrary to expectations, the government has cut funding by 6% for the coming fiscal year, adjusting its higher education spending to US$588 million compared with the US$627.2 million allotted in 2018/2019.

“The funding cuts will make it difficult for universities to cater to the growing numbers of students taking courses and they will necessitate strategies to secure funds from alternative sources.”

Yuksek urged Kenyans to also use the opportunity to apply.

“Turkey’s scholarship policy is an important part of its cooperation with developing countries and it helps to build the socio-economic potential of its partner countries, with Kenya being a significant partner,” he told the meeting.

Turkish Ambassador to Kenya Ahmet Cemil Miroglu was also at the event

The scholarships are aimed at enabling more international students to study in Turkey to build a network of future leaders committed to enhancing partnerships between Turkey and their respective countries, supporting mutual understanding among societies.