9 November 2023
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Landmark student debt relief initiated by Moses Kotane Institute
KwaZulu-Natal universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) will tomorrow bag millions in student debt relief because of an intervention by Moses Kotane Institute (MKI) which has lobbied MerSeta “to make an invaluable contribution in improving the skills development of younger people in the province. We approached MerSeta as this is in line with the key focus of the MerSeta Skills Development Fund which is to improve the employability and productivity of the workforce, contribute to economic growth, and promote a more inclusive and equitable society”, said Advocate Lihle Mapipa, acting CEO of the Moses Kotane Institute.
Professor Marcus Ramogale, MUT Acting Vice-Chancellor, was elated at the news and said, “For MUT, this debt relief will make a meaningful contribution. It will go a long way towards improving our balance sheet. The financial challenges faced by our students create a lot of difficulties during registration and for now there will be some slight support. We welcome this support, and we are grateful to our valuable stakeholder, MKI for the initiative”.
Advocate Mapipa knows the challenges which children from historically disadvantaged families go through; be it in kickstarting their career with a huge debt hanging over their heads or with no skills to put at the table before one gets employed. “It is for this reason that the fund seeks to close the skills gap, upskill, and reskill its citizens as part of the economic reconstruction and recovery plan. Skills development is critical not only in driving South Africa’s economic reconstruction and recovery, but also in sustaining it”, said Mapipa.
The fund will be launched at MUT by the Department of Higher Education and Training where all universities, TVETs and some private colleges will be recipients of this fund.
The launch event is aimed at announcing the establishment of the skills development fund and create awareness about its purpose, scope, and potential impact among the target audience.
The details of the launch are as follows:
Date: 10 November 2023
Time: 12h00-13h30
Venue: Mangosuthu University of Technology’s Seme ka Isaka Hall
The event will be attended by dignitaries from all levels of government, skills development stakeholders, MKI, vice-chancellors, rectors and CFOs, students from all these institutions who will be beneficiaries of the bursaries.
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Submitted by:
Bheki Hlophe
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About Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT):
MUT is a pioneering institution committed to producing graduates who are not just educated but prepared to lead and innovate in the ever-evolving world of technology and academia. With a steadfast dedication to research excellence, MUT is at the forefront of shaping the future of education and society.