Tembisa youngsters among bursary recipients

Away from the #FeesMustFall protest, Peermont has quietly been providing students with full bursaries for tertiary education for the past 14 years.

The final recipients were selected from hundreds of applications and had to make it through a stringent selection process, as well as a nerve-wrecking interview with a panel of judges.

A Tembisa resident, Law Curious Rasebetlela, who matriculated from the Pretoria Institute, has been awarded an all-expenses paid scholarship to study a BCom Finance at the University of Johannesburg from the Peermont Education Trust. Rasebetlela is pictured with Trustee and Peermont Corporate Affairs and CSI Executive, Vusi Zwane and Trust Chairperson, Tshidi Madima, after receiving his official scholarship letter at an induction function at Emperors Palace on Monday, January 25.

A Tembisa resident, Law Curious Rasebetlela, who matriculated from the Pretoria Institute, has been awarded an all-expenses paid scholarship to study a BCom Finance at the University of Johannesburg from the Peermont Education Trust. Rasebetlela is pictured with Trustee and Peermont Corporate Affairs and CSI Executive, Vusi Zwane and Trust Chairperson, Tshidi Madima, after receiving his official scholarship letter at an induction function at Emperors Palace on Monday, January 25.

Away from the #FeesMustFall protest, Peermont has quietly been providing students with full bursaries for tertiary education for the past 14 years.

A total of 13 lucky candidates have been awarded the prestigious bursary from the Peermont Education Trust (PET) and have registered to study a wide variety of courses, including Actuarial Science, Mechanical Engineering and Business Management and Law.

The final recipients were selected from hundreds of applications and had to make it through a stringent selection process, as well as a nerve-wrecking interview with a panel of judges.

In addition to having their tuition and accommodation costs paid, these fortunate students attend workshops and receive psychological support to sustain them through the academic year.

“Over the years we have found that we are able to increase our graduation rate by offering students additional support throughout the year. We do not just leave them to their own devices,” the trust manager, Ms Jenny Findlay.

“To this end, the trust has an 86 percent graduation rate. This is exceptional, considering that the students come from township schools and that the national graduation rate is 22 percent.”

Among the Class of 2016’s students who have received scholarships, are two young Tembisa residents, Morongwa Mokoka and Law Curious Rasebetlela.

Mokoka, who matriculated from Tembisa Secondary School at the end of last year, will be starting her BCom Accounting Science studies at the University of Pretoria.

Rasebetlela, who completed his schooling at the Pretoria Institute, will be heading for the University of Johannesburg to study a BCom Finance.

For all these students, the Peermont Education Trust scholarship offers the opportunity of a lifetime as they all come from the previously disadvantaged areas of Ekurhuleni.

This was highlighted by one of this year’s bursars, Katlego Dipholo, who commented at the induction, “Despite the circumstances that I have overcome, namely not having a stable family structure, moving from one foster home to another due to unconducive living and learning conditions, abuse, and dire financial and nutritional needs, I still maintained a good track record.”