The University of Cape Town (UCT) online high school is offering more than R5-million worth of scholarships to the first 500 eligible adult learners for the 18-month adult matric programme which was launched in August.
The programme, offered online, provides a second chance for people who never got an opportunity to write their National Senior Certificate.
UCT said the programme’s primary objective is to make high-quality education affordable and accessible to adult learners who deserve a second chance.
According to research by Youth Capital, there are about 250 000 people working toward a matric certificate outside the full-time in-school system.
“Since an average of 800 000 candidates write matric examinations each year, this means about a third of the total matric cohort are ‘on the fringe’ or ‘non-traditional’ learners,” UCT said in a statement.
“Yet, as second chancers, the educational journeys of these non-traditional learners often go unrecognised. Despite their grit and perseverance, second-chance matrics are rarely reported on publicly.
“The UCT online high school is here to celebrate and support these learners, and the adult matric programme offers a viable and affordable alternative for adults to study online, and part-time, towards their CAPS-aligned Amended Senior Certificate.
“A matric certificate can transform young and old people’s futures alike, by signaling their knowledge and skills to employers, creating pathways to further education, and ultimately improving their chances of finding work, keeping a job, and earning a higher salary.”
Sipho Mpisane, head of school for adult matric, said: “In line with our vision to accelerate access to world-class high school education, so that we can unleash South Africa’s potential, [the] UCT online high school is proud to be making more strides toward that vision through our adult matric qualification.
“Education should not be a privilege, it is a basic human right, and our adult matric programme means hope and a second chance towards a better future through the opportunities that come with having a matric qualification in South Africa.”
Mpisane explained further: “We’re incredibly excited to announce the UCT online high school adult matric scholarship programme, which will support eligible adult learners by providing the opportunity to study towards an Amended Senior Certificate at a fraction of the regular cost.
“We are proud to unlock this door and even more proud of those who will choose to step in and walk boldly through towards a better future.”
Interested adults need to head to www.uctonlinehighschool.com/adult-matric to see if they qualify for the 30% tuition scholarship.
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