Chinese embassy launches student award program in Somalia

MOGADISHU, June 20 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Embassy in Somalia launched a student award program on Wednesday to improve the standard of education in the East African country.

The China-Somalia Friendship Student Award Program for the 2024 National Examination will see the embassy provide financial awards for the top 50 students in the Somali examination.

Chen Wendi, charge d'affaires of the Chinese Embassy in Somalia, who launched the program in Mogadishu, the capital of Somalia, said the decision is aimed at motivating thousands of students who are due to sit for the examination on Saturday.

He said the gesture is an important incentive program for the Somali students, and wished them success.

The embassy will offer between 400 and 1,000 U.S. dollars based on the student's ranking in the national examinations, Chen added.

Mohamed Osman Omar, a member of Somalia's parliamentary committee on social affairs, said about 37,000 students will attend the national examination and welcomed the new initiative by the Chinese embassy.