The African community in Finland was thrown into mourning when the shocking death of Rodgers Kipruto, 28, who was a nursing student at Laurea University, Tikkurila Campus went viral. He is reported to have died by suicide in his hostel out of frustration over the controversial education programme from Kenya to Finland.
The deceased is among the 202 Kenyan students from Uasin Gishu county who arrived in Finland to pursue their education in three Finnish universities. A number of the students are said to have already been deported back to Kenya while some have received notice of deportation for the failure of paying school fees.
Late Mr Rodgers Kipruto
“My son had a better job working as a nurse aide in Kenya. He regretted going to Finland.” the father of the deceased said.
The programme has been plagued with controversy after the Kenyan students ended up being stranded in a foreign country over fee arrears.
According to the Nation Media, In the arrangement, parents were to remit their children’s fees through a county government account, and county officials would then settle the fees, with the devolved unit acting as guarantors.
The 26-year-old took his life, citing frustrations in the foreign nation, following the stand-off between the county government and parents on modalities of settling the fee arrears to enable him to continue with his studies. He was a student at Laurea University, which reportedly discontinued studies of the Kenyan students and threatened to deport them over fee arrears.
He was a student at Laurea University, which reportedly discontinued studies of the Kenyan students and threatened to deport them over fee arrears.
A past photograph of the late Rodgers Kipruto, 28, who was a nursing student at a Laurea University, Tikkurila Campus in Finland with his parents Mr Jonathan Kosgei and wife Leah Kosgei. Photo credit: Jared Nyataya | Nation Media Group
“My son died due to depression,” his father said at their Kesses home. He spoke with a lot of difficulties, fighting tears that rolled down his cheeks effortlessly- the pain so evident. Mourners had gathered at the home to mourn with the family.
Mr Kemboi, the elder brother to Mr Kipruto recounted his last moments with the deceased, moments before he died by suicide. He said his late brother complained about going through difficulty in Finland. He did some menial jobs for survival and also got some support from the Adventist church and Kenyan friends
