SSP honours three students

04.03.10

This article first appeared on the Daily Dispatch on Monday 25th January 2010.

Three previously disadvantaged pupils were honoured by the Student Sponsorship Programme (SSP) for their achievements at school last year.

The three 2009 matrics, from Selborne College and Clarendon High School, were honoured for completing Grade 12 with endorsements at a ceremony held at Selborne College on Saturday.

The Student Sponsorship Programme provides scholarships and bursaries to academically talented, low-income students to enable them to excel.

SSP regional director Kolisa Siqoko said students were offered bursaries from Grade 7 to matric.

“They must excel academically with 65 percent or more in maths and English.” She said the SSP took over from the Friends of SA Students in 2008.

“If they are in the right environment they pass better,” she said. She said pupils were placed in Selborne College, Clarendon High School and Hudson Park, and in St Andrew’s College and the Diocesan School for Girls in Grahamstown.

Sibusiso Mbandazayo, who passed his matric at Selborne College, said: “Difficulties and disappointments will be there, we just need ways to overcome them. I know how to set goals for myself and go after them. They say memories fade, but I don’t think this memory will ever fade.”

Selborne College Grade 10 student Sheldon Grieb, who is also part of the programme, was given an award for his achievements.

“SSP is helping us a lot. It creates opportunities that we don’t usually have,” he said.

The SSP programme assists children of households earning less than R200 000 a year.

Parents or pupils can obtain application forms from primary schools in Eastern Cape and Gauteng. - By Babalo Ndenze