Full scholarships worth close to a million rand have been awarded to 11 first-year students by the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA). The delighted students, drawn from the IT, Food and Beverage, Hospitality Management, Tourism and Mechanical Engineering Departments, will now have the privilege of concentrating solely on their studies, without worrying about any financial pressures.

Advancement Department Director Calvin Maseko and fundraiser Khumo Sebola have expressed their gratitude to the NYDA for their generosity and say they hope to strengthen the partnership with the agency in the years to come.

NYDA Senior Manager, Innocentia Mphayo says the agency believes that comprehensive support to a young person is critical to help ensure their years of study are as stress-free as possible.

“So many of our talented young people drop-out due to a lack of funding, a situation that is detrimental both to themselves and to our economy. We hope these comprehensive bursaries give these students the boost they so richly deserve, so that they can become successful in the careers of their choice.”

Mphayo is also urging any CPUT students who might need guidance to take advantage of their services. The NYDA have a full service Youth Advisory Centre in Adderley Street where students are welcome to access reliable and up-to-date information to make informed choices about their futures.

Written by Janyce Weintrob

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Exams have now ended for the 375 learners who participated in CPUT’s Centre for Co-operative Education 2^nd Chance Matric Rewrite Project. A partnership aiming to help matriculants who opt for a second chance to write matric exams, the project is jointly funded by the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) and the Education Training and Development Practises SETA. (ETDPSETA)

Through the collaborative efforts of Calvin Maseko, Director of the Advancement Department, Jacqui Scheepers: Acting Director: Centre for CE and WIL (Service-Learning Unit), and Dr Karen dos Reis from the Faculty of Education, CPUT was successfully awarded the tender to tutor the nearly 400 learners to prepare for their finals. Subjects taught include Mathematics, Physical Science, Life Sciences and Accounting, but learners were able to rewrite any additional subjects to maximise their chances of tertiary education access.

Some of the educators on the project are CPUT alumni. They are supported by tutors who are final year students and top achievers selected from CPUT’s Faculty of Education. All final exams were written at the CPUT-registered exam centre in Ravensmead. Invigilators from the education sector and the community were provided with training by the project.

Scheepers says that the project has tangible benefits for all involved.

“Our students are given an ideal opportunity for experiential learning and to develop critical leadership skills. Learners get a 2^nd chance to get great marks for their matric. This in turn opens up opportunities for learners to study further and access the job market. Educators and invigilators (especially those who are unemployed) are given the chance to become productive citizens while earning an income. CPUT project staff (Project Managers, Project Administrator, Procurement and Venue Administrator) develop new skills and enhance the image of CPUT through Community Engagement and the development of local and national partnerships. And the sponsors benefit from the additional resources we’ve provided to meet their objectives. It’s truly a win-win situation all round.”

Scheepers adds that future plans include rolling out the project model to universities nationally under the banner of the South African Higher Education Community Engagement Forum.

“We’re so looking forward to the release of the learner’s marks in early 2016 – we feel sure that the results will reflect the passion, hard work and dedication that everyone involved in this remarkable project has shown.”

Written by Janyce Weintrob

Tel: +27 21 460 3514
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The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is calling on all prospective and returning students who have not yet applied for 2019 financial aid to do so by November 30. 

Applicants can submit their applications online at www.nsfas.org.za . They can also visit their nearest National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) centre for support with their application.

NSFAS has indicated that there will be no extended window period for 2019 applications and no applications will be accepted after the 30 November deadline.

The application process takes only five minutes to complete and requires only a copy of the Identification Document (ID) of the applicant and their parents, payslips of both parents, if parents earn an income and a consent form to give the Scheme permission to verify income. Those whose parents are not working are only required to submit a signed consent form.

Continuing students who are funded by NSFAS this year will be contacted by NSFAS to sign their agreements online, if they have not done so already. They are not required to reapply as funding will automatically continue in 2019, if they meet the progression rule of a 50% pass.

Written by CPUT News
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A project, which has helped hundreds of young people by giving them a second chance to write their matric exams, is growing from strength to strength, thanks to CPUT and a range of partners.

Recently a new intake of learners, who will make up the class of 2017, were inducted into the Second Chance programme, which will provide them with free tuition.

The CPUT programme was first launched and co -sponsored in 2015 by the National Youth Development Agency and the Education Training and Development Practices SETA.

In 2016, the Chemical Industries Education and Training Authority came on board to sponsor 50 learners specifically for Mathematics and Physical Science.

This year the project is proving to be in huge demand with more than 2 000 applications received for the only 300 available places in 2017.

They will have the opportunity to rewrite the matric exams in Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, Accounting and English First Additional Language, thanks to the Advancement Department, the Service-Learning Unit and the Faculty of Education at CPUT, the Western Cape Education Department and the ETDP-SETA.

At a mini seminar held at the Granger Bay campus, where stakeholders could reflect on and evaluate the project, one of the project’s many success stories was celebrated.

Lakin Seconds, who completed the programme last year and was at the top of the class, has been awarded a bursary through the Solomon Mahlangu Bursary Fund. She is currently studying medicine at the University of the Free State. Her parents thanked the stakeholders for helping Lakin to achieve her goals.  

“No student can turn around and say they didn’t get a second chance. It is an excellent programme.  I don’t have the words to say how thankful we are. I’m promoting the programme wherever I go,” Lakin’s mother, Lynn Seconds, told the stakeholders.

Jacqui Scheepers, project manager and manager of the Service-Learning Unit at CPUT, says the project would continue to build on its successes this year, while aiming to increase attendance and parental involvement.

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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Phanadapreneurs, a Community Engagement Student Leadership Academy student project team, recently hosted a Community Engagement Business Bootcamp at the Cape Town Hotel School, Granger Bay.

Jacqui Scheepers, Manager: Service-Learning and Civic Engagement, said: “The bootcamp provided for engagement across multi-sectoral boundaries with the aim of stimulating enterprise development and enhanced business practices in the informal sector.”

Student entrepreneurs, startups, emerging entrepreneurs, parastatals, local provincial and national government, business support development agencies and funders all formed part of the auspicious event. The focal activities of the event included information sharing, dialogue, skills development, business success storytelling, networking, but most importantly how students can contribute and assist with economic growth within their respective communities.

“The bootcamp forms part of a broader initiative by the Service-Learning and Civic Engagement Units, Centre for Community Engagement and WIL [Work Integrated Learning], where students are encouraged to be more agile in their approach and are encouraged to think of ways and means to alleviate socio-economic issues within their respective communities,” said David Haarhoff, project lead.

Haarhoff added that they strive on equal opportunity. “From a Community Engagement perspective, it is imperative for us to continuously enhance students’ capabilities by offering such projects where our students are exposed to creative thinking and offered the opportunity to grow in all spheres of life through contributing to the well-being of small business enterprises and society at large,” he said.

In his opening address, Dean of the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences, Prof Paul Green, encouraged students and entrepreneurs to explore, experience and most importantly, to be flexible in their thought processing when considering this critical issue of socio-economic advancement in their communities.

The keynote speaker, John Peters, Chief Director: Western Cape Department of Economic Development and Tourism, sketched the current scenario in South Africa in terms of high youth unemployment rate, low start-up rate of new business and high discontinuation rate of existing businesses. Peters further highlighted a weak entrepreneurship culture, regulatory and bureaucratic constraints, inadequate, fragmented and uncoordinated support eco-system, infrastructure, crime/extortion and other binding constraints as well as a lack of information and awareness.

Peters advised that government offers a number of financial and non-financial support to start-ups and encouraged the youth present to utilise these services. He urged students to become tech savvy, and to welcome competition, stating that it can sharpen their thinking and will allow them to be more efficient and more effective. In closing he alluded that most successful entrepreneurs never relied on handouts and/or begged government for support.

Jayde Barends, Senior Technology Transfer Officer, CPUT Technology Transfer and Industry Linkages, provided context in respect of her department and the technology transfer process from idea conceptualisation to socio-economic impact. Rushdeen Rose, Project Coordinator, Technology Station: Clothing and Textile, CPUT provided a detailed outline of services offered by the technology station as well as the various training programmes and industry initiatives the station is currently embarking on.

Phillip Chibvuri, Finance Specialist within the Residence Department at CPUT, provided context in terms of financial architecture and encouraged students to take time to know the worth of their “money”.

Director: Advancement Department, Calvin Maseko, highlighted that his department considers all three pillars of CPUT when embarking on fundraising initiatives. This includes Learning and Teaching, Research and Community Engagement.

Christopher Cupido, Acting Head of Department: Entrepreneurship and Business Management touched on the ENACTUS programme with a particular focus on students’ social enterprise development through ENACTUS as a CE project.

The National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) was also represented at the Business Bootcamp by Xola Gxilishe, Jobs Officer, who gave a rundown of entrepreneurship and youth cooperative development programmes offered by the agency.

Amangile Botya, Akha Bobo, Williams Matsepone and Sakhile Mabena, young entrepreneurs, CPUT students and alumni, shared their respective business success stories. Scheepers viewed the bootcamp as a step towards the strengthening of partnerships and relationships within the business development sector and aims to engage in further community engagement initiatives and projects.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce

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The Second Chance Programme at CPUT has once again helped scores of young people to improve their matric marks.

More than 500 learners enrolled for the Second Chance Programme in 2016 and received their results on January 5.

This programme gave them the opportunity to rewrite their matric exams in Mathematics, Physical Sciences, Life Sciences, Accounting and English, thanks to the Service-Learning Unit and Advancement Department at CPUT, the National Youth Development Agency, the Education,Training and Development Practices SETA and the Chemical Industries Education & Training Authority (CHIETA).

The new intake of learners for the class of 2017 will open soon.

Project manager and manager of the Service-Learning Unit at CPUT, Jacqui Scheepers, said 2016 matric pupils who didn’t achieve their goals should remember that there’s always hope.

“All they have to do is make contact with us. All it takes is dedication and hard work. As has been proven by the results, some learners jumped from a failure to 60-odd percent. If they can do it so can you.”

To qualify candidates must have written Grade 12 in the years 2014, 2015 or 2016 and have either failed or wish to improve their mark.

For more information learners can visit the 2^nd Chance application desk at the New Science Building, Bellville campus, CPUT from 16 January – 3 February 2017 from 09:00 – 13:00 to complete applications and submit certified documents.

Bring along three certified copies of your ID and a certified copy of your most recent results. All certified copies must be no older than one month.

Contact Yandiswa Mene at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or Theresa Burns at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 082 419 4736 or 021 959 6868/9 for more information.

Written by Ilse Fredericks

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