WINDHOEK - Chinese State-owned firm, China Harbour Engineering Company (CHEC), has awarded two Namibian students with scholarships to study engineering in China.

The scholarships will enable the students to study for five years at renowned Chinese universities starting from September.

CHEC said the study experience in China should essentially equip these students with the academic skills and experience to enable them to plough their knowledge back into Namibia's development upon their return.

The two students, Messrs Martino Swarts and Oiva Willbard, studying at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), were selected after a comprehensive process.

Project Manager of CHEC Feng Yuanfei acknowledged Namibia's efforts to develop the country's human resource base, especially in scarce skills such as engineering.

The students will study Mandarin during the first year. Then they will enroll for a full four-year engineering degree.

The scholarships are in the field of civil engineering with special focus on marine engineering.

CHEC is one of the Chinese companies in Namibia that is sponsoring students to go study in China.