President Robert Mugabe has sent off 50 students who have
been offered scholarships to go and study at Ocean University in China.
The group of students is being sponsored by a Chinese group
of companies, Qingndao Hengshun Zhongshen Group, which has investments in
Indonesia in industrial parks development, mining development and energy
sectors.
This is the second batch of 50 students undergoing
university studies at the Chinese university following the first batch that
pioneered this Presidential Scholarship Programme under the Chinese company
scholarship last year.
Addressing the students, Cde Mugabe implored them to always
remember why they are in China and whether they are doing everything to achieve
their goal.
He also said his government has prioritised education from
day one of Zimbabwe’s independence in 1980.
He explained how the Presidential Scholarship Programme
started at Fort Hare University in South Africa and how it later spread to
other universities.
After meeting the President, the students were taken to a
local hotel for an orientation meeting and send off ceremony organised by the
Department of the Presidential National Scholarship Programme to equip the
students as they travel to a foreign land.
The Executive Director of the Presidential National
Scholarship Programme, Dr Chris Mushohwe emphasised that the selection criteria
for awarding the scholarships is conducted in a transparent manner and members
of the public must be wary of con-artists who dupe parents and guardians to pay
in order to get a scholarship.
The Managing Director of the company that is offering the
funding for the scholarships, Mrs Shanel Liu said they chose to sponsor
students from Zimbabwe because of the value the government under the leadership
of President Mugabe puts on education.
The students and their parents were shown a video of Ocean
University where the students will undertake their studies and Ms Jia Beini,
the Public Relations Manager for Qingdao Hengshen Company, who will be
responsible for the students’ welfare in China, briefed them of what to expect
in China.
The ecstatic parents thanked President Mugabe for his
visionary leadership that has seen thousands of disadvantaged children
realising their dreams and the students promised to be good ambassadors for
Zimbabwe during their stay in china.
The group of 49 students, which is the second to be awarded
full scholarships to study in China, leave Harare for Qingdao this Saturday and
will undertake four year programmes in various courses that include
international trade and economy, business management, computer science and the
Chinese language.
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