Hope and Good Things for Young Amanzimtoti Student!

 

KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (02 May 2021) – Siphindile Bhengu, from Amanzimtoti in KwaZulu-Natal, was one of the thousands of matric learners in 2020 who had to endure one of the toughest academic years in a century.

The COVID pandemic played havoc with Siphindile’s final school year, as she had limited internet access at home, and she had to rely on education radio and TV broadcasts from the SABC to get through. A class WhatsApp group from her school also assisted.

In the end, she achieved a Bachelor’s pass and one distinction among the 7 subjects she wrote — a big achievement in light of the huge challenges she faced. Her goal, ultimately, is to go to university.

After the matric results were released in March, Siphindile faced a new set of challenges as her family doesn’t have the funds to send her to university. Siphindile is not alone in this struggle, and, like many matriculants, she has applied for a bursary through NSFAS to study through the Durban University of Technology (DUT). However, administrative delays have left her on a long waiting list.

Her story and situation were highlighted in an eNCA interview recently.