LIMPOPO – A group of 21 University of Venda (Univen) students had their tuition fees settled by a generous donor recently.
Absa, one of South Africa’s leading financial institutions, donated R500 000 to Univen. The institution selected 21 academically gifted but financially lacking School of Management Science students whose tuition fees were settled using the donated funds.
One of the beneficiaries, a final year B.Com accounting student, Mushavhelafhi Emmanuel Matumba, said he is grateful for the assistance.
“I owed R19 000 of which I had not paid a deposit. I was just focusing on paying my accommodation and buying food.
My family background is not such that I can afford tuition fees, but what Absa did for me is a miracle. I wish they would appoint me when I finish my degree, to implement my skills in their company,” Mushavhelafhi added.
The scholarship was divided among 12 B.Com accounting students, six students in cost and management accounting, and three students who are doing B.Com in economics and the funds were allocated to cover outstanding academic fee balances, and do not cover any allowances for books and meals.
Head of Citizenship at Absa, Sazini Mojapelo, said: “We recognise the importance of education and skills training to socioeconomic development throughout Africa.
“This is one of the three pillars of our Shared Growth strategy that we launched earlier this year, where we committed R1,4 billion to education and skills training across Africa over the next three years. A total of R23 million is for tuition fees for what is termed the “missing middle” reaching approximately 550 students, including 112 scholarships awarded to children of Barclays Africa staff”.
Mojapelo continued, saying: “While the government annually allocates billions of rand to provide access to higher education, it is clear that more needs to be done.”
Absa called upon students and universities to do everything they can to save the current academic year, adding that should this year be lost, it will be very difficult to accommodate new students next year, further compounding the problem of access to higher education. Education is the foundation of social and economic development.
The inequalities of our society place a responsibility upon all of us to find an equitable funding formula where priority is given to deserving students who do not have the means to pay some or all of their tuition fees.
Vice-Chancellor and Principal of Univen, Prof Peter Mbati, said it is a great honour that Absa contributed this amount of money to change the lives of students.
“Looking at the fact that the majority of our students come from socioeconomically challenged backgrounds, this funding will play a major role in shaping their future.
