Online Reporter
Nqobile Bhebhe in BEIJING, China
ZIMBABWE’S Ambassador to China, Abigail Shonhiwa, has called for an extensive media blitz raising awareness on proper channels to be taken by aspiring students intending to learn in China on scholarships.
Amb Shonhiwa made the passionate plea on Wednesday at the Zimbabwe House in Beijing, China during an interactive engagement with the diaspora community that included students.
Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister, Dr Zhemu Soda, and Chief Director for Government Messaging and Programmes in the Ministry of Information, Mr Jonathan Gandari, also attended the engagement.
The call follows disturbing revelations that numerous Zimbabwean students have been duped in the past by bogus agents masquerading as legitimate recruiters.
Several aspiring scholars reportedly lost thousands of dollars after paying for “guaranteed placements” and fake admission letters to non-existent Chinese universities and other countries.
In some cases, students arrive in China and other countries only to discover their registration documents were forged, leaving them stranded and vulnerable without accommodation, tuition cover, or legal status.
These fraudulent agents often target desperate families through social media flashy advertisements with false promises of fully-funded sponsorships.
Victims have recounted being given counterfeit scholarship award letters bearing doctored official seals, while others were misled into enrolling in unaccredited language programmes that offered no pathway to degree studies.
Responding to concerns by students here that some of their colleagues are being duped by bogus agents, she said raising awareness was key.
“I have heard your concerns. I propose that there be a media blitz on scholarships.
“Prospective students need to know the proper channels to follow,” she said amid applause.
Dr Soda added saying, “We encourage people that are coming from Zimbabwe that before you leave, contact our embassies.
“We have embassies around the world and you can contact the embassies while you are still in Zimbabwe and validate the information coming from various agencies.”
