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Dear parents , when you send your kids ABROAD to study , please check up on them and find out EXACTLY what they are doing , who they are relating with , demand to see transcripts , fee receipts e.t.c and be in constant contact with the institution / teachers . Here is why #Thread
Today , a mother to one of my Ugandan friends who studies around here called me . She was in so much pain , she cried on the phone for hours , she told me she hasn't eaten for days because she has not been in contact with her son.
Her son came here to do Political Science 3 years ago and is supposed to graduate this month . She almost fainted when I revealed to her that her son hasn't been seen anywhere near class for the last 2 years . He ONLY did 1st year of campus . She cried so bitterly , she wept .
She tells me she has been depositing school fees and upkeep TIMELY in his account . He stopped talking to her long a go and only send her a message on Facebbook stating that he lost his phone . Which is far from the truth coz I just saw his whatsapp update a while ago .
I had to tell her the truth . I tried to put myself in my shoes because one day I will also be a parent . The truth is that ALCOHOL is very cheap in India and her son is drowning in it . Infact' he's turning topsy turvy in it day and night
6 pack of beer around here costs 300 Rs which is about Kshs 437 . She has even never known he drinks . She says his son confirmed to her that he is graduating this April . Now here is even a bigger problem .....
Her son's student Visa expired today . On 5th , she sent me to his university to find out if they could give him a bonafide ( a document that confirms he is a student of the institution ) which is a mandatory document you need for Visa extension or even Application .
The Dean refused and informed that he had already sent a letter to the Indian foreign police office indicating that my friend had seized being a student of the institution 2 years ago and stopped attending classes . He also has not paid fees . Legally he is right ...I checked .
So as am tweeting , it's safe to say her son is ILLEGAL around here and for them to even process VISA or any document for him he has to pay 1000 dollars as fine . That asise , there's a much bigger problem . Her son has been drinking everything including his own rent .
When you land in a foreign country as a student , your first stop after getting accomodation is usually the police station where you apply for a residential permit . My friend's RP expired in Nov 2018 according to foreign police records .He never renewed . Fine is 300 dollars
Am guessing he never renewed because he was kicked out of where he used to live when he got here for not paying rent . What he has been doing is making friends whwnever he goes drinking and si mnajua walevi vile huwa na kabond flani ... Friends would host him ...
BTW , am sharing this because just maybe there's someone somewhere who is planning to go study ABROAD . I feel they can learn a thing or 2 from this incident .
So for 2 years he has had no permanent residence , just travelling around Indian states , drinking , partying , e.t.c akichoma school fees yake na pesa ya upkeep . His mom is so shocked . The way she talked to me today made me realise that our parents really don't deserve this .
Another thing is the alcoholism situation has made him incur alot of debts around here . It has made him borrow left and right , plus numerous unsettled bills in lodgings and restaurants to a point that 2 restaurants have officially filed a complaint with police .
Police are looking for him especially because all the debt complaints approximately amount to about 150,000 Rs ( 220 ,000 Kshs ) . His mom is just speechless . She tells me she thinks someone has bewitched his son . She is a single mom with only 1 son btw.
His mom also says that she is just a businesswoman and business hasn't been very good . She has even been struggling to send fees . She is so heartbroken .She sobbed hysterically . Especially now that the son knows she knows , he has completely made himself unreachable even to me
I have tried talking to him , he is very defensive and argumentive , his ego is over the roof , I just don't know what to do . Now that his Visa has expired , he is wanted by police , it means that they cannot process for him an exit VISA . He is OFFICIALLY stuck out here .
Worst case scenario : If Police get their hands on him they will charge him for being here ILLEGALLY . He will also have to pay all the debts and people he owes money around . He will then be put in jail for 6 months atleast before he appears before any judge here in India .
Deportation cases takes alot of time around here and am not sure he will survive an Indian jail for those 6 months coz truth is Indian jails from what I hear are worse than what we even have in our motherland .
I hope his son rethinks about everthing . He follows me here , I hope he reads this thread because I really feel for the mom . It should be made illegal for any son to make their parent cry and be helpless like ths . She is in so much pain . May God bring peace in her heart
One thing I must add is that Kenyan students ABROAD rarely get into this level of situations . They love parties , they are also entreprenuers e.t.c but they rarely forget their PRIORITIES and OBJECTIVES .
Recently at a Tech conference , a seasoned academic the Ministry of Education while congratulating Phd candidate @GisembaOkemwa said that their data shows more Kenyan students (83 %) in India present papers than any other and urged Indian students to not let it happen . 😂
