Still basking in the magnificence of sending 154 students to China in May, and a further 27 students recently in this month of August, the Free State Provincial Government is once again raising the bar and sending a further 58 students to China, to go study Engineering, Agriculture, Accounting, Financial Management, and Information Technology.
These students, who now bring the total number of students embarking in studies in China to a remarkably impressive 237, will be spread across Nanchang University ( in Nanchang, Jiangxi Province), Wuyi University, (in Wuyishan, Nanping county in Fujian Province), and Fujian Agriculture and Forestry University (in Jinshan, Fuzhou, in Fujian Province).
Kekeletso Molefe (18) - one of the students jetting off to China to study Medicine at Nanchang University - is wholeheartedly thankful to the Free State Government for the opportunity to study abroad.
“I do not care about the conditions which may face me in China, all I am focused on, is going there to make everyone proud and obtain my Medical Degree”, Kekeletso says emotionally.
His mother, Mantaoleng, passed away in 2006, leaving him in the care of his ageing grandmother, and with no sustainable income at home, lived a desolate life in the doldrums of Ladybrand, where he eventually matriculated in 2013, at Sehlabeng Secondary School.
“I have struggled so much, I could not even afford clothes for my matric farewell last year”, Kekeletso says forlornly.
Kekeletso, like many of his peers who will now begin a new life abroad, has promised the Free State Government that he will study hard and return home proudly, head held high, with his hard-earned qualification. Premier Ace Magashule wholeheartedly champions education amongst the youth and the important role it plays.
“I have always maintained that when I was young, a free, non-racial society where everyone had equal opportunity to study was a dream”, says Premier Magashule ardently. “The youth must therefore use the opportunities given to them to study because we never had. They must furthermore consider post-graduate qualifications because they will then be better equipped to plough back to society”, adds Premier.
It remains the Free State Provincial Government’s undertaking and desire, to leave a lasting legacy that will increase the number of appropriately skilled people that will, in the future, meet the demands of the emerging economic and social developments and hopefully serve the province which is now ensuring a better tomorrow for them.
The students will gather at the front entrance of Lebohang Building at 7h30, tomorrow morning, August 29, 2014 as they prepare to be whisked off to Johannesburg. The Media is welcome to see off the students who will not only be representing the Free State abroad, but South Africa as a whole.
For media enquiries:
Mondli Mvambi, Government Spokesperson
Cell: 072 022 1598
E-mail: mondli.mvambi@fspremier.gov.za or mmvambi@gmail.com
Setjhaba Maphalla,
Cell: 071 302 2591
E-mail: Setjhaba.maphalla@fspremier.gov.za or sk.maphalla@gmail.com
