The annual KwaDukuza Municipality (KDM) financial aid programme has enabled 69 students to enter university this year.
A R5 000 grant is given to qualifying students which is intended to prevent exclusion from studies because of financial constraints.
This is a serious problem for many students, who often have to wait before government grants are paid out, leaving them with a shortfall when having to pay registration fees.
Of the 120 students who applied, 69 were selected, of whom 45 were new applicants and 24 returning students, KDM mayor Lindi Nhaca said.
“Now in its tenth year, the initiative was designed by the municipality to provide financial assistance to academically deserving but historically disadvantages students of KwaDukuza pursuing full-time undergraduate qualifications,” she said.
The specific focus of the aid package are students studying courses that cover areas in which local government experiences a scarcity of skilled employees.
Addressing the students at the iLembe Auditorium, Mayor Nhaca warned the young women against the ‘sugar daddy’ phenomenon which derail many on a career path .
“Collectively we ought to revive the ethos of high moral standards, promoting healthy lifestyles and modelling appropriate behaviour among communities.”
On behalf of the students who received aid, beneficiary Olwethu Nxumalo, who will study electrical engineering at UKZN, said her advice to her peers would be to study hard and make use of all available support structures, including tuition classes and online educational platforms to better understand content.
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