ACCESS TO CLEAN WATER

money into the various universities accounts as per the agreement with the parents.

Documents in our possession indicate that fees for the second semester in other universities in Finland were due on March 31st,2023 while the due date for Tampere University has lapsed.

The Uasin-Gishu County Assembly adhoc committee which investigated the scholarship scam found out that three senior officers under former Governor Jackson Mandago’s administration were responsible for the mess as they made themselves signatories of the fund to enrich themselves and withdrew millions of shillings on diverse dates.

Among others, the Uasin-Gishu County Assembly ad-hoc committee has recommended that the Ethics and Anti-Corruption Commission (EACC) and the Directorate of Criminal Investigation (DCI) conduct a probe into forgery, abuse of office and integrity of county officers who served under Mandago’s administration.

Rural Times established that Laurea University had put on hold studies for students pursuing nursing and physiotherapy until the tuition fees for the second semester are paid.

Uasin Gishu County Government has since moved to address the plight of hundreds of students under the Finland Scholarship programme even as the devolved unit continues to come under fire for abandoning them in a foreign land.

Deputy Governor John Barorot who spoke during Kipruto’s burial said the county government has already set up a task force to address challenges facing the programme.

“I will next week personally visit Finland to get first-hand information on the challenges the students are facing. It is true may be some are frustrated because when they reached the country, they did not get what they had anticipated,” said Mr Barorot.

He said the county government will also be offering counseling services to the students before travelling to prepare them physiologically.

Mr Barorot said the devolved unit will also seek to re-negotiate some of the agreements that the students had with the institutions when they joined.

“Among the issues, we will be discussing with the universities the possibility of the students getting more time to work, to raise finances that can help in funding their expenses and fees while in Finland,” said Mr Barorot.

The Deputy Governor assured parents that the county government will continue offering any kind of support to ensure the safety of their students abroad.

Rural Times established that Kipruto had always wanted to come back home citing hardship in the foreign country.