Members of the Free State Executive Council, led by Premier Magashule, will be visiting Free State Provincial Government (FSPG) fulltime bursary holders in their respective Higher Education Institutions on Saturday, 21 August 2010.
Focusing on some of the country’s key priorities i.e. education, economic development and poverty alleviation, the bursary holders interaction sessions aim to ensure maximum results from the students through maintaining regular contact regarding their progress and challenges while focusing on supporting and motivating them in their endeavours through using the already available support systems from the Higher Education Institutions. The visits also offer platforms for the EXCO to enhance the working relationships between the provincial government and respective Higher Education Institutions.
These bursary holders studying in various career fields, have benefited from the FSPG Operation Hlasela Fund. The fund to date has awarded 3 000 bursaries at a cost of R154 million since its inauguration last year in August. This is the first of its kind in the history of the government that as many students have been provided opportunities to pursue studies of their choice.
Speaking of this initiative and its value chain, the Premier says: “We are faced with major challenges, which would require rapid response from government and social partners such as universities to overcome: High levels of unemployment with a persistent scarcity of certain skills required by the labour market.
- high levels of poverty
- poor service delivery models and rigid bureaucratic machinery
- low levels of productivity.”
This hands-on approach is meant provide firsthand experience of the students’ challenges, needs and successes, and enable the Executive Council to provide guidance immediately while taking these issues back to the table to shape up future planning for the bursary programme, towards improving its impact.
Institutions to be visited are in the Western Cape, Gauteng, Limpopo, KwaZulu-Natal and North West. The EXCO will meet with all the students in each province in one institution.
Members of the media are cordially invited to cover this important event.
Contact details:
Thabang Mokoka
Cell: 071 660 5401
For media interviews contact:
Wisani Ngobeni
Cell: 072 594 9099
William Bulwane
Cell: 072 592 2221
