Programme Director
Minister of Energy, Ms Tina Joemat-Petterson
MEC for Environmental Affairs and Nature conservation, Ms Tiny Chotelo
District and local Mayors present
Chairman of Solar Capital, Mr Pascal Phelan
Chairman of Mulilo Holdings, Mr Christopher Aberdien

Today marks a very historic day in the lives of our young people from this area. We are especially delighted to bring together Government, business and political leaders to jointly unlock beneficial opportunities for them.

Ladies and gentlemen, education is seen as the foundation of every prosperous and progressive community, society and nation. It is on this premise that the Northern Cape Provincial Government is committed to ensure that we wholeheartedly and with the resources at our disposal, invest in the education and development of our young people both in school and out of school.

Ons het verlede jaar met ons besoek aan De Aar belowe dat ons sal met ons vennote in die Energiesektor beraadslaag en opkom met ‘n plan van aksie om ons kinders wat daarvoor werk, te voorsien van hulp om hul toekoms op dreef te sit. Vandag staan ons hier en maak gestand op hierdie belofte van verlede jaar.

Dames en here ons is almal bewus daarvan dat ons gebukkend gaan onder striem finansiele toestande en dat dit grootendeels die rede is waarom belowende studente ontneem word van die geleentheid om hulself te verbeter en te bemagtig. Hierdie is ongelukkig ‘n probleem wat wêreldwyd ervaar word en daarom as die Anc beleerde regering werk ons konstant daaraan om opvoeding, in die skool, en na skool ‘n werklikheid vir almal te maak.

Hierdie leemte het ons ook hier in die De aar omgewing identifiseer en juis daarom het ons met ons Minister van Energie in verbinding getree om met haar invloed ook die privaatsektor betrokke te kry by skep van beurse en ander hulpmiddele om naskoolse studies ‘n werklikheid te maak vir sewentig belowende en begunstigde jong mense.

Ladies and gentlemen, this year the matric class of 2016 has done us immensely proud by allowing us to be the Province with the most improved matric results. We are delighted by the progress made and once more congratulate our learners and moreover, our educators who sacrificed their time and comforts to ensure that our children receive the best possible aid to realize their dreams of furthering their education. On behalf of Government I wish to acknowledge and relay our gratitude to all teachers who individually and collectively contributed to our improved performance.

We however also acknowledge that we can do better. Especially in the field of mathematics and the sciences and judging from the class of 2016 I am confident that the class of 2017 will indeed do better. We also acknowledge that many deserving and promising students miss their opportunity to further their studies due to various reasons, the biggest being financial constraints.

The Provincial Government sees as very critical the need to assist students who sometimes cannot further or complete their studies due to a lack of finances. This is also in line with ensuring that we build a suitably qualified and skilled youth and in turn a prosperous Province.

Ladies and gentlemen, at the core of our business lies the advancement and empowerment of young people. As a result most of the Northern Cape Provincial Government Departments supported by the Northern Cape Education Premiers Trust Fund has been allocating bursaries to deserving and needy students. We also strongly encourage students to further their studies at our TVET Colleges and our own Sol Plaatjie University.

Ladies and gentlemen, according to a StatsSa report of June last year, the total number of youth in the Province in 2015 was about four hundred and fourteen thousand nine hundred and ninety six (414 996). The proportion of youth population to the total population in the Province was about thirty four point eight percent (34.8%).

These figures become worth considering if we take into account that youth continue to bear high levels of unemployment when compared to adults. All is however not doom and gloom because regardless of the challenges facing our youth, notable progress has been made in the areas of access to education and skills development. These successes can largely be attributed to the policies around the introduction of free basic education and with the establishment of Technical and Vocational Education and Training Colleges, which has seen an overwhelming increase of young people in tertiary education.

We have no doubt that the Northern Cape is a Province alive with possibilities and opportunities that all young people in the Province need to seize in order to live productive lives. We will continue to aspire to a Province hard at work to push back the frontiers of unemployment and underdevelopment where we join hands with our young people and private sector partners to move this Province forward.

Earlier this month, at our school reopening programme, I mentioned that the schooling career of our learners is dependent on the role that learners, parents and educators play. It is therefore encouraging seeing more parents and guardians as well as supporting relatives becoming involved in the education of their children, siblings and family. Today is your reward for being an integral part of your child’s success and you should be elated that another step in your child’s journey is beginning.

It is well known that the defining factor between students who succeed and those who do not, is parental involvement. Far too many parents, for varying reasons have not provided the support that is required in their child’s educational journey.  Parents/guardians you are duly deserving of praise and we hope that this Bursary Award will help to make your load a little lighter and serve as an incentive for other siblings to follow.

To the class of 2017 I advise that you take serious your education and work very hard to ensure that you create that future you want. It takes hard work and dedication from the very start. You have a lifetime ahead of you to party and play. Now is the time for hard work and commitment.

Allow me ladies and gentlemen, at this point to applaud the efforts of Mulilo Holdings and Solar Capital Renewable Energy in assisting us to allow our rural youth to engage in tertiary studies. Through this initiative you have proven to be responsible business partners demonstarting that the development of the communities in which you conduct business is also a priority. For that we are grateful. Our gratitude also goes out to Minister Joemat-Petterson with our development partners for elevating the needs of our youth by bringing these opportunities to them. This will definitely go a long way in changing and shaping the lives of our youth. We encourage other businesses to also come on board because indeed; Together we can do more.