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MALMESBURY - A total of R159 000 was pledged on Friday at the launch of the West Coast FET College’s Financial Aid Fund (bursary fund) at the Mount Royal Golf Estate in Malmesbury. Pledges came from the College Board, the personnel, private and corporate companies as well as other roleplayers. The Chief Executive Officer of the College, Mrs Osma Jooste-Mokgethi, was overwhelmed by the reaction of roleplayers.

“Unless education and training institutions work with the private and public sector, it will never fully meet the needs of those sectors,” she said. “Without a close relationship, training institutions will not be able to produce graduates with the requisite skills, nor will individuals be able to pursue new career possibilities.”

A recent means test conducted among learners showed that 95% of them qualify for full bursaries as they have a combined annual household income of less than R60 000 per annum. In fact, the majority of the students’ households’ annual income bracket is between R6 000 and R30 000 per annum (less than R2 500 per month).

Mrs Jooste-Mokgethi emphasised that those between 15 and 34 years continue to bear the burden of the highest levels of unemployment.

The college covers the areas from Atlantis in the south to Bitterfontein in the North; with five campuses: Atlantis, Citrusdal, Malmesbury, Vredenburg and Vredendal.

As they record more and more successes each year, they find their student population continuing to grow. They currently have an enrolment figure of more than 3 000.

Mr Marius Fransman, chairperson of the parliamentary portfolio committee on higher education and training, congratulated the College on their initiative and especially the response to it.

He said education must find ways to do things different and better.

“What do we do wrong? Where do we fail our students?”he asked, adding that our educational budget is far higher as in most African countries, yet many of them is doing better than us in this field.

“The system has failed our young people. The community has to enter the debate and take ownership by commitments like the one today,” he said.

Interested parties can contact the College at 48 Voortrekker Road, 1st Floor Clicks Building

Malmesbury, to 022 482 1143 or Email enquiries@westcoastcollege.co.za.

All corporate or individual pledges above R5 000 (five thousand rand) will receive a Pledge Plaque, which will be mounted on the Campus Financial Aid Fund Wall at a separate ceremony.