Re: give scholarship to Kenyan college science student

[James Mackey <jmackey@HARDING.EDU>]

This certainly seems like an excellent program.  The typical HS tuition
in Kenya is about $17 per month.  This is in a society where avg YEARLY
wage for "middle class" Kenyans is $100 - $125 per year.  Those students
who do not do very well on their national exams during their education
are basically dropped out of schooling completely.  As noted the
unemployment is about 80%.  What jobs are there are unreachable if
uneducated. A few programs such as KCITI use obsolescent computers (by
US standards, but not Africa) to teach, PC literacy, keyboarding skills,
business ethics, etc. to prepare those who've been dropped for entry
level business jobs in Nairobi. About the only hope that bright young
Kenyans have to escape the poverty cycle is finishing education (as the
program Jane described helps to do) or some of the few vocation ed
opportunities (KCITI and others) that are available.
When our students gripe about having to learn anything at school with
their $15,000 and up yearly tuition being paid by parents......it's
impossible to be sympathetic!
James Mackey
SORRY for the rant......it's been a difficult day!

Jane Jackson wrote:

> July 21, 2002
> Colleagues,
>        Almost a month ago (on June 26) I posted about a large need:
> college scholarships for Kenyan science students. Today I learned from Beth
> Scott, the president of ACCES, that she didn't receive any queries
> resulting from my post.
>
> I'd like to impress upon you that ACCES is a fantastic organization;
> exceedingly well run by retired educators. A school group or a class could
> easily provide a scholarship with "pizza money". Students will become
> connected with like-minded young people across the ocean, and promote
> science education in a developing nation. So here's more information. I
> hope you'll write to Beth and get your students or colleagues involved. I
> don't know of other organizations that sponsor college students, so here's
> your chance!