The North West Provincial Government has resolved to write off over R42 million for the benefit of young people from poor and disadvantaged backgrounds who had studied through the Office of the Premier Bursary Scheme. The decision to release all defaulters including those who had started repaying their study loans was taken at the forth-nightly meeting of the Executive Council held in Mahikeng on Wednesday.
“Taking this decision on the eve of 37th Anniversary of the June 16 should demonstrate our commitment to develop scare skills, empower our young people and prepare them for the critical roles they have to play in the future. We hope that it would bring much relief to the 469 beneficiaries particularly to those that had defaulted on repayments because they could not find employment,” emphasised Premier Thandi Modise.
The Premier said that as per the Exco resolution, all defaulters who had started repaying the state from 1 March 2012 will be refunded.
“The current bursary debt will be written off unless there is proof of declined employment offer by bursary beneficiaries. Our communities and South Africa should benefit from the skills which we have contributed as a province,” she said.
Premier Modise added that the decision by Exco to review of the Provincial Bursary Policyis in line with President Jacob Zuma’s directive that young people should be relieved of the burden of student debts and also was primarily necessitated by the Auditor-General regarding the inability of bursary holders to repay as a breach of contract even though there were no employment offers by provincial departments resulting in the Office of the Premier being disqualified during audit processes.
As from this 1 April 2014/14, provincial departments will budget and administer their bursary programmes.
Enquiries:
Lesiba Moses Kgwele
Spokesperson
Cell: 083 629 1987
Tel: 018 388 3705
Fax: 018 388 3157
Email: LKgwele@gmail.com
