During a visit to Mphezulu and Skhosana Secondary schools in Groblersdal, Monsterlus, Limpopo as part of the back to school campaign and to encourage learners to pursue careers in agriculture, the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Mr Senzeni Zokwana made a promise to assist Walter Sibiya.
Walter, the best learner at Skhosana Secondary School, passed matric with flying colours. He received 92% for Maths, 82% in Agricultural Science and distinctions in all his other subjects.
Keeping his promise, the Minister helped Walter to receive a bursary from the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF) Bursary Scheme. He was awarded a bursary to study B.Sc. majoring in Genetics and Microbiology at the University of Free State. Walter said he was grateful to the department for offering him the bursary.
“I really needed financial assistance and I am grateful for getting a bursary from the department, he said.” He encouraged other students who may find themselves in a similar situation to study hard and never give up because God will answer their prayers, “It is all about hard work and never giving up,” he concluded.
The DAFF introduced the External Bursary Scheme in 2004 in response to a government call to bridge the skills gap, promote rural development and to eliminate skewed participation in South Africa.
The scheme is used as a vehicle to create a pool of researchers, scientists, skilled professionals and technicians in areas regarded as being scarce and critical in agriculture, forestry and fisheries.
For the 2015 academic year, DAFF approved 70 undergraduate bursaries from the 2014 class of matriculants. Of the 70 bursaries approved, only 65 were awarded and the department is still awaiting admission letters of the remaining five. Of the 65 bursaries already awarded, 30 are males and 35 are females. The bursaries were awarded for studies in the following fields:
- B.Sc. Bioresource Engineering (Agricultural Engineering)
- Bachelor of Veterinary Science (B.V.Sc)
- B.Sc. Viticulture and Oenology/Soil Science/Plant Pathology
- B.Sc. Food Science
- B.Sc. Plant Pathology
- B.Sc. Genetics
- B.Sc. Agric. Soil Science
- B.Sc. Agric. Agronomy
- B.SC. Forestry and Wood Science
- B.Sc. Geo-informatics
- B.Sc. Marine Biology
- B.Sc. Oceanography and Marine Biology
- National Diploma: Food Technology
- National Diploma: Forestry
- National Diploma: Oceanography
The department further allocated 15 new bursaries for postgraduate studies (B.Tech. Honours, M.Sc., Ph.D.) in areas of research identified as scarce and critical in agriculture, forestry and fisheries.
For media enquiries:
Makenosi Maroo
Chief Director: Stakeholder Relations and Communications
Cell: 072 475 2956
Tel.: 012 319 6787
E-mail: MakenosiM@daff.gov.za
