children to work
24 May 2007
As part of its contribution to the national programme of "Taking a Girl
Child To Work", the Eastern Cape Department of Roads and Transport will host
five girls from schools that had the best results in Maths and Science within
the King Williams Town area tomorrow, Friday, 25 May 2007.
The purpose of this initiative is to ensure that we join other government
and private sector institutions in pursuit of the transformation agenda.
Tomorrow, these girls will be placed in various business units within the
Department's Head Office in Stellenbosch Park Building, Schornville in King
Williams Town, including the MEC's Office, Head of Department's Office,
Aviation, Rail and Freight, and Transport Planning.
Our main objective is to expose young people, particularly girls, in
different fields and opportunities in the transport sector and to broaden their
career choices.
We believe that this will assist government in addressing the challenge of
skills shortage in the country, particularly in the engineering, rail,
aviation, maritime and transport economics fields.
The Department has a medium to long term strategy to grow engineers and
professionals within the transport sector in line with the principles of the
Provincial Growth and Development Plan of promoting sustainable development
through skills development.
This is being achieved through offering further training in Maths and
Science, bursaries, learnerships and internships.
Since 2003, 300 bursaries worth more than R3 million have been awarded to
young people, including girls, of the Eastern Cape to study civil and
mechanical engineering, aviation, transport economics, information technology
and traffic law enforcement.
The Department is presently hosting a Maths and Science Project for the OR
Tambo District at the Walter Sisulu University Mthatha Campus, where 13 schools
are getting further training in Maths and Science during weekends and
holidays.
This programme is also taking place in the Nelson Mandela Metro in
partnership with the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and this year, it
will expand to the Nkonkobe Area in partnership with the University of Fort
Hare.
On 13 December 2006, 34 young girls graduated from the Port Elizabeth
Traffic College as traffic officers after receiving bursaries from the
Department and they are now working for us.
As we speak, 51 more young people, including girls, are doing their traffic
law enforcement course at the College and are expected to graduate and join the
department on 28 June 2007.
Last week, the department advertised a Traffic Safety Management Learnership
targeting young matriculants with Full Exemption, who are aspiring to become
Road Safety Officers.
This time, our focus is on rural youth and we are targeting female
matriculants from:
Amathole (15) � Mbashe (2), Mnquma (3), Great Kei (1), Buffalo City (3),
Amahlathi (1), Nkonkobe (2), Inxuba (2), Ngqushwa (1)
Chris Hani (15) � Inxuba Yethemba (2), Indwana (1), Nkwankca (1), Intsika
Yethu (1), Emalahleni (2), Engcobo (2), Sakhisizwe (2) and Lukhanji (4)
Cacadu (13) � Nelson Mandela Metro (3), Makana (1), Ndlambe (1), Blue Kraans
(1), Ikwezi (1), Camdeboo (2), Blue Crane (1), Sundays River (1), Koukamma (1),
Kouga (1)
OR Tambo (10) � KSD (2), Nyandeni (1), Qaukeni (2), Mbizana (1), Ntabankulu
(2), Mhlontlo (1), Port St Johns (1)
Ukhahlamba (13) � Senqu (4), Elundini (4), Maletswai (3), Gariep (2)
Alfred Nzo � Maluti (2), Matatiele (2), Mount Ayliff (3), Mount Frere
(3)
Each learner will get a stipend of R1 200.
These initiatives form part of our comprehensive response to the challenges
of poverty, unemployed and skills shortage amongst our youth, particularly
girls.
Members of the media are invited to witness this occasion.
Issued by:
Ncedo Kumbaca
Spokesperson
Ministry for Safety, Liaison, Roads and Transport
Cell: 082 442 2388 or 073 2066 569
Issues by: Department of Roads and Transport, Eastern Cape Provincial
Government
24 May 2007
