TVET students in Kenya will now receive scholarships from Kenya-China Economic and Trade Association (KCETA).
The Jin Yetao Scholarship has been set up in honor of Mr. Jin Yetao, a Chinese national who died as a result of the fatal ET302 air crash.
Mr. Jin, a former AVIC employee, had dedicated his entire career to vocational and technical training development in Kenya and the Greater East African region.
“The Jin Yetao Scholarship is a special Scholarship bestowed by KCETA dedicated to College Students in Vocational and Technical Universities. As we deeply regret the untimely loss of an exceptional Chinese Expatriate who dedicated his professional career to the development of Africa, the impact and legacy he has left behind through his work is immense, through this scholarship we wish to continue that legacy.
‘It is our sincere hope that the Scholarship in his honor will encourage generations to come to follow in his footsteps to promote vocational and technical skills in the Kenyan workforce, which is of paramount importance to the Big Four Agenda and overall development of Kenya”, said Mr. Li Changgui, General Manager of China Road and Bridge Corporation in Kenya.
Ms. Li Chen, Secretary for KCETA, said the Scholarship will commence with immediate effect, an initial KSh1.5 million allocated to benefit 15 students. The first batch of recipients will receive the Scholarship in September 2019.
Universities that have expressed willingness to participate in the program include Kenya Technical Trainers College, Kiambu Institute of Science and Technology. Li indicated only students in their last two years of study are eligible for application and she hopes to see more higher learning institutes to be involved in the program.
Mr. Jin Yetao was a 33 year old Chinese national who joined AVIC International immediately after graduating with a Bachelor’s Degree in 2011. He was responsible for the company’s overseas vocational and technical training programs, travelling to more than 30 countries in 2018 alone. He was travelling to Nairobi for a training program when he boarded the ill-fated flight that ended in a horrific crash that claimed the lives of 157 passengers on March 10, 2019.
Mr. Kevit Desai, Principal Secretary from the State Department for Vocational and Technical Training, expressed appreciation to the set-up of the Jin Yetao Scholarship.
“As the Government aims to deliver the Big Four Agenda and as we continue to promote Kenya’s regional and global competitiveness, we understand how important vocational and technical skills are. They are the foundation in which all industries will prosper and lead to the creation of meaningful jobs that will have a huge impact on the Kenyan economy. We are saddened by the devastation the air crash has caused so many families, but we must inherit the victims’ will and continue what they started. In that sense, the Scholarship is very timely and has great significance,” he said.
“We appreciate the kind gesture from KCETA to set up such a special Scholarship. Jin Yetao is a representative of hundreds of Chinese expatriates working in many different sectors across Kenya. His story will encourage our Chinese compatriots and their Kenyan counterparts to work even harder and jointly promote our friendship to an even higher level,” commented Dr. Guo Ce, Economic and Commercial Counsellor of the Chinese Embassy in Kenya.