MEDIA RELEASE
SANRAL presents scholarship and bursary opportunities at Career Expo in KwaMhlanga
Mpumalanga, 26 September 2022 – The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (SANRAL) recently hosted a Career Expo in KwaMhlanga where it encouraged high school learners from 14 schools to apply for scholarships and bursaries opportunities presented by the Agency.
Led by Ms Gcina Sentletse, Educational Programmes Coordinator for SANRAL, the Career Expo took place on 23 September 2022 at the Mzimhlophe Secondary School in KwaMhlanga.
Sentletse said SANRAL’s investment model for skills starts with development and support through the scholarship and bursary programme.
“SANRAL has long recognised the importance of skills development for youth in the country, and with more young people increasingly filling leadership roles in the built environment, now is the perfect time to engage the learners,” she said.
The SANRAL scholarship programme was historically developed to give financial support to learners from Grade 10 to Grade 12 who excelled in mathematics and science, but to promote a more inclusive support structure, the programme had to change some of its policies to expand the reach.
Sentletse said the scholarships are available for learners from Grade 8 to 12, irrespective of their subject choices. Bursaries will no longer be limited to funding Engineering studies, and will also be available to full-time students studying Law, Public Administration, Finance, Human Resources, Supply Chain, Public Relations, and other subjects. Also, previously learners required a 70% overall aggregate to be eligible for consideration, they now require 60% with a view to improving their aggregate to 70%.
The scholarship covers:
- Registration and school fees
- Hostel accommodation (where applicable)
- School and sport uniform
- Books and prescribed stationery
- Transport
The bursary covers:
- Registration and tuition
- Accommodation and meals
- Study material and equipment
- Living allowance
- Access to wellness programme
Learners and teachers welcomed this initiative and regard it as very important, particularly for learners from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Nhlakanipho Jiana, a Grade 12 learner at Mandlethu Senior Secondary School in Thembisile Hani Local Municipality, was happy about the information he received regarding the opportunities.
“I received the information that I was looking for. I would like to encourage my fellow Grade 12 learners to be open-minded in their approach of obtaining information regarding career options. I have learned during the SANRAL Career Expo that there are more careers with available funding opportunities,” said Jiana.
Portia Mokwebane, a teacher at Phumzile Secondary School in Thembisile Hani Local Municipality, said SANRAL’s initiative to share information about scholarships and bursaries is a good approach as learners used it as a platform to seek clarity regarding the application process and requirements.
“We are looking forward to engaging with SANRAL in the coming year as we will be inviting more learners from our school to be part of this process. Most of the learners in public schools are from disadvantaged backgrounds. Having this information will motivate them to put more effort into their studies and apply for these opportunities which can potentially change their situation at home,” said Mokwebane.
SANRAL encourages more applications for scholarships and bursaries before the closing date of 30 September 2022. Further information regarding the bursaries, scholarships and applications forms can be found on the SANRAL website on www.nra.co.za.