Bursary recipients urged to serve rural areas

RECIPIENTS of this year’s department of education’s Matthew Goniwe bursary have pledged to not only excel academically but to return to teach in rural schools.

Alarmed by the steady decline in the number of teachers in rural community schools, the department established the bursary to train and retain teachers in those areas.

Education MEC Mandla Makupula said the scheme sought to address specifically a shortage of maths and science teachers in rural schools.

“We have a real challenge of teachers who graduate and leave the rural communities to go and teach in bigger cities. This bursary will ensure that all its graduates are placed in public schools in need of their skills or services,” said Makupula.

“We urge the recipients to honour this opportunity as there were many applicants. They must be serious and responsible – if they play around, they will forfeit,” Makupula said.

A total of 250 Walter Sisulu University students will receive the bursary this year.

Makupula said the bursary was also about supporting students with good grades but who could not afford to further their education.

One of the recipients, Zizipho Nomeva, from Butterworth said she would have never been able to enrol at any university because of financial constraints despite having passed matric with good marks.

“We promise not to waste this opportunity so that we too may go and make noble contributions in our rural communities, the same way Matthew Goniwe did,” she said.