The KwaZulu-Natal Department of Education has awarded 53 teaching bursaries for students to pursue qualifications in areas in which it is experiencing or expecting educator shortages.
A total of R2,2-million has been set aside to fund the studies of these students.
Ina Cronje, minister for education in KwaZulu-Natal, said the department decided to use its bursary scheme for educational purposes, instead of ‘dishing out our limited funds to students in fields not rele-vant to education”.
‘We have beeen experiencing a shortage of teachers in gateway subjects such as mathematics, science and technology. The few qualified teachers in gateway subjects are attracted to schools in urban and semi-urban areas, creating a crisis in rural areas,” Cronje said.
The department received 3 130 applications and the neediest and most deserving were selected to study in fields such as mathematics, science, technology, commerce, IT, auditing and accounting, speech therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy.
Each student will receive about R40 000 a year for the duration of their studies. On completion of their qualifications, the students will be employed by the KwaZulu-Natal department of education until they have ‘worked” back their bursaries.