Thabang Mangena says that as a rural scholar, he sent applications to more than thirty institutions and was turned down. “I thought I did not count as much as prospective students from Soweto, Cape Town and other areas,” said Mangena at the Mopani FET college bursary awarding ceremony.

He said his confidence was restored when he received a letter indicating that he had received a bursary. “This is just a confirmation that I am one of the people South Africa recognizes as its own,” he said before Higher Education Minister, Blade Nzimande, awarded him and 94 others with bursaries.

Nzimande urged the 95 students from Mopani, who have been admitted at various universities in various disciplines, to work hard in order to improve the face of their communities as well as Limpopo.

Speaking at Mopani FET during the handover of bursaries worth R4,4 million to the students, after they performed well in the Grade 12 examinations last year, Nzimande said the Department of Education has actually adopted the 95 students and the bursaries would cover anything from tuition, books, accommodation and clothes.

Accompanied by Public Service and Administration Minister, Rich Baloyi, Nzimande said that the bursaries should serve as an example that the government recognizes those who worked hard. The presentation was a sequel to a promise by Nzimande in July last year that the government would give bursaries to 67 pupils from Mopani who did well in last year’s grade 12 examinations.

“Principals around the area pleaded with us that there are more than 67 pupils who did well and that is why the number has now swollen to 95,” he said.

He promised that in three years’ time the department would come to the same venue and celebrate their degrees. He expressed his appreciation that 21 of the students have been enrolled for engineering degrees, 29 for bachelors of sciences, while eight are doing commerce degrees.