Students Given Boost with Bursary Awards | Western Cape Government

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Students Given Boost with Bursary Awards

22 March 2012

Twelve maths, economics and accounting learners in the Western Cape have become the latest high school pupils in the province to be awarded bursaries in the Western Cape Schools Essay Writing Bursary Competition on Saturday, 24 March.

Supported by Nedbank, the Western Cape Education Department (WCED) and the Provincial Treasury, the bursaries, to the value of R75 000 each, are to be used by the winners of the 2011 competition to pay for their tertiary studies at an institution of their choice.

Minister of Economic Development and Tourism Alan Winde said: "According to the 2011 Global Competitiveness Report, South Africa ranks 138th out of 142 countries in terms of maths education. It is imperative that we nurture and support mathematical talent where it exists. The Western Cape Government is a proud supporter of Western Cape Schools Essay Writing Bursary Competition as it does exactly this. We are fully committed to improving educational outcomes in our province."

This is the fourth year that the partnership has awarded bursaries to learners in the province, offering students the possibility of pursuing studies that might otherwise have been a pipe dream.

"Given the shortage of essential business skills in South Africa and the importance of maths, economics and accounting in the development of the province's economy and also that of the country as a whole, Nedbank believes that it's crucial to work with the Western Cape Government to give learners with a talent for these subjects the opportunity to study further," said Alistair Pearce Divisional Executive of Nedbank Corporate Banking in the Western Cape.

In addition to the 12 individual bursaries, five previously disadvantaged schools that excelled in accounting and economics in 2011, Hector Petersen High School, Livingstone High School, Masibambane High School, Bloekombos High School and South Peninsula High School, will each receive R50 000 to be used towards further entrenching the culture of excellence in learning.

The overall winner in the province, Ihsaan Bassier, 18, wrote his essay focusing on a brief summary of the characteristics of the Western Cape in relation to South Africa and proposed policy solutions for the provincial government. The first runner up in the competition was Leandri Scholtz and second runner up Nadia Burger. Teachers of these top three learners will receive a laptop each.

This full list of this year's bursary recipients are Ihsaan Bassier: Rondebosch Boys High School, Leandri Scholtz: Tygerberg High School, Nadia Burger: Bloemhof Girls High School, Emma Welbach: Bloemhof Girls High School, Mon-Cherrie Pepper: Abbots College Claremont, Annegret Muller: Point High School, Girshwin Job: Outenique High School, Nasreen Adriaanse: JG Meiring High School, Lo-Ann Plaatjies: Knysna High School, Ninah Hendricks: Camps Bay High School, Nina Henn: Bloemhof Girls High School and Stacey Jantjies: Bernadino Heights High School.

Teachers will be informed via their curriculum advisors when the 2012 Western Cape Schools Essay Writing Bursary Competition opens to the schools.

Pictures: 2012 Essay Bursary Competition and Top Performing Schools in Economics and Accounting Awards

Video: 2012 Essay Bursary Competition and Top Performing Schools in Economics and Accounting Awards.

Treasury Essay Writing Bursary Competition Prize Giving

Heart 104.9 speaks to MEC Alan Winde about Essay Bursary Competition. Listen to parts of the Ministers interview with Heart 104.9's Saskia Falken.

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