Group CEO visits orphaned youths in Nelspruit
Posted By: Transnet Foundation
11.09.2013
Transnet Group CEO Brian Molefe took a few hours off his hectic schedule on Monday the 2nd of September, 2013 to visit Transnet sponsored kids at Uplands and Penryn School in Mpumalanga. The visit by the GCEO and other senior officials that included the Head of the Foundation, Cynthia Mgijima and Senior Manager: Education portfolio, Ms Theresa Moila was a follow up to assess the progress of the students who are beneficiaries of the Transnet Foundation Orphaned Youth Education Development Programme.
Transnet Group CEO Brian Molefe took a few hours off his hectic schedule on Monday the 2nd of September, 2013 to visit Transnet sponsored kids at Uplands and Penryn School in Mpumalanga. The visit by the GCEO and other senior officials that included the Head of the Foundation, Cynthia Mgijima and Senior Manager: Education portfolio, Ms Theresa Moila was a follow up to assess the progress of the students who are beneficiaries of the Transnet Foundation Orphaned Youth Education Development Programme.
The programme is relatively new at the Foundation’s education portfolio and was initially proposed by the Group Chief Executive himself. Through rigorous processes the Foundation identified 10 dynamic, motivated and goal oriented youths who have been placed in 6 private schools in KZN, Mpumalanga and North West.
This programme is geared to grow and nurture future leaders. We realise that for a society to breed great leaders, it must start from the foundation going up. The ground work must be properly executed, which is then subsequently followed by tertiary education, says Molefe.
The Transnet Foundation pays schools fees, boarding, school amenities, clothes and gives the learners a monthly allowance. Once they complete their Grade 12 in 2015, Transnet will pay for their university studies.
“The youth have mentors based at their schools and these give them continuous and structured support. The youth also attend enrichment camps to assist them to deal with knowledge gaps and help them cope with their studies,” says Cynthia Mgijima.
The selection assessments take academic results and the school attendance of potential learners as one of the decisive factors. The Foundation also administers tests on mathematics, science and critical thinking. It also covers the Foundation phase and Grade 8 work as well as ‘one on one’ interviews.
Learners’ scripts are sent to reputable independent moderators identified by the Independent Schools Association of Southern Africa (ISASA) to ensure a fair selection process and testimonials of each learner are sought from their class teachers.