The South African National Roads Agency SOC Limited (Sanral) invited community members to a Scholarship and Bursaries Activation at the Madiba Banquet Hall on Tuesday, 23 August.
Sanral shared the opportunities presented by its bursaries and scholarships and encouraged high school learners and university students to apply. According to the stakeholder coordinator, Sanral Northern Region, Jullecsia Saul, several children come from disadvantaged backgrounds and need funding for tertiary education. “Sanral saw a need to assist, which was the reason for this event,” Saul explained.
Saul added that the company wouldn’t be giving out a specific number of bursaries and scholarships. Instead, they will be working on a set budget.
“Some learners will be awarded full bursaries and others partial scholarships,” she explained.
Saul says the roads agency’s investment model for skills starts with development and support through
the scholarship and bursary programme. “SANRAL has long since 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 Grade12, ideally, those who excel in mathematics and science, but to promote a more inclusive support structure, it had to change some of its policies to expand its reach.
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. Orapeleng Tsawane, a grade 12 learner at Seiphemelo Secondary School in Potchefstroom, was happy about the information he received regarding the opportunities. “My expectations were met. I received the information that I was looking for. It is now my responsibility to put more effort into my studies
and improve my results. I would like to encourage my fellow Grade 12 learners to be open-minded in
their approach to obtaining information regarding career options. I have learned during the SANRAL
activation that there are more careers with available funding opportunities,” said Tsawane.
Sean Lekgoathi, a teacher at Phiri Secondary School in Ventersdorp, 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, the closing date and resources to consult if more
information is needed.
“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. Knowing this information will motivate them to put more effort in their
studies and apply for these opportunities which can potentially change their situation at home in the
future,” said Lekgoathi.
SANRAL encourages all interested individuals to apply for scholarships and bursaries before the
closing date of 30 September 2022. Further information regarding the bursaries, scholarships and
application forms can be found on the SANRAL website at www.nra.co.za.
