Liu Xianfa (front, left 4), Chinese Ambassador to Kenya, James Macharia, the Cabinet Secretary, Ministry of Transport (at the centre), and the board members of Kenya Railways take a photo during the farewell ceremony for the students leaving for China on a scholarship programme, held in Nairobi Kenya, on February 2, 2017. [Photo by Edith Mutethya/chinadaily.com.cn]

China Road and Bridge Cooperation (CRBC), one of the four large State-owned companies in China, and the contractor of Standard Gauge Railway (SGR) in Kenya, is offering full scholarship to 35 Kenyan students to pursue undergraduate engineering courses in China.

Under the programme, the students will undertake a bachelor's degree course in railway engineering at Beijing Jiaotong University, a top institute for railway courses in the country. The course entails mathematics, chemistry, physics, engineering, mechanics, design, theory and construction. It's a four-year course.

The programme, which was launched last year with 25 students enrolling at the university, aims to sponsor 100 Kenyan high school graduates. Next year, CRBC plans to send the third batch of 40 students to study in China.

Speaking during the farewell ceremony for the students, held in Nairobi, Kenya, on February 2, Chinese Ambassador to Kenya Dr Liu Xianfa said the programme will create a pool of highly skilled individuals who will shape the future of Kenyan railway transport and that of the entire East African region.

The ambassador told the students that they were expected to master both theoretical as well as practical knowledge.. They will also have an opportunity to learn about China's history, culture, people and development.

"My hope is that your minds are set on returning to contribute to Kenya's development and to the strengthening of China-Kenya friendship," he said.

Sun Liqiang, the CRBC Chairman said, the programme was a proactive implementation of the "China-Africa Ten Cooperation Plan" proposed by President Xi Jinping and his Kenyan counterpart Uhuru Kenyatta.

The plan aims to train 200, 000 technical personnel and provide 40, 000 training opportunities for Africans in China.

Quoting a Chinese saying, "A nation is strong when its youth are strong, a nation is wise when the youth are wise", Sun said, education was the foundation and the future of a country.

"I congratulate you, the 35 students, and hope you will live up to the expectations of your president and your families. Study hard and return back home to contribute to growth of your country," he said.