Mail & Guardian reporter
After the success of its 2000 academic bridging programme, Gensec Bank has extended the programme and is now investing a further R817500 in upgrading the skills of promising formerly disadvantaged students.
A year ago 20 young people who matriculated in 1999 were given the opportunity to improve their matric results to Independent Education Boardstandard and so greatly enhance their opportunity of getting a bursary tostudy in the area of business or science.
Their results reflect the success of the programme, with 75% of the students obtaining university exemption. Two students obtained distinctions in mathematics and one a distinction in physical science.
The aim of the programme is to improve disadvantaged students’ grade 12 symbols (in mathematics, science and English) and, based on their improvedresults, provide them with university exemption and access to studybursaries for much-needed degrees in disciplines such as business and science.
The bridging year of study was carried out at the Johannesburg College of Education (now part of the University of the Witwatersrand and renamed College of Education at Wits) and forms the core of Gensec Bank’s academicenrichment programme.
Eric Ratshikhopha, general manager of corporate affairs at Gensec Bank, is delighted with the progress being made as a result of the sponsorship. “The performance of the students on the 2000 programme isexcellent, especially when one remembers these are students who wouldotherwise have had no opportunity of entering a university or technikon.”
Gensec Bank will offer further financial assistance to six students who will follow a university degree related to finance.
“The students who obtained matric exemption have been offered study assistance by other companies while the five who did not achieve matricexemption have been offered government bursaries to do a teacher’s course,specialising in maths and science at the College of Education at Wits,” Ratshikhopha says.
Last year Gensec Bank appropriated R500 000 for the programme and has increased the sum for 2001 to R817500. Gensec Bank views its sponsorship as a business imperative.
Ratshikhopha says Gensec Bank endeavours to help improve the relevant skills base in the community while at the same time satisfying Gensec’s employment equity plans and objectives.
“Gensec places emphasis on developmental work in support of the financial sector of the economy by engaging in initiatives, which are aimed at securingthe long-term availability of appropriate skills. We, like otherprogressive businesses, have set ourselves the objective of addressingsocio-economic backlogs of the past by, among others, improving the skills base of the country’s youth.”
He added that many students with matric exemption could go on to do degrees, but need higher-grade exemptions to be accepted for a university degree inthe area of business or science, the areas where there remains a skillsshortage. “With their enhanced skills, these students will be in a betterposition to find suitable employment.”
The programme’s other sponsors are Eskom, Iscor and Mintek. The programme is linked to Gensec Bank’s high school bursary scheme and will becoordinated by Mintek at the College of Education at Wits.
The programme is directed at ensuring good results in mathematics and science at matriculation level; and ensuring the students’ success in future studies.
It includes some life skills training like communication English, computer literacy, presentation skills and problem solving.
The year-long programme culminates in pupils rewriting the matric examinations of the Independent Examinations Board.