Speaking at a press conference on the Bloemfontein campus, Asive Dlanjwa, says the most difficult time of the year is the registration period and that students at times do not have the funds to register. He adds that often two or three siblings all go to university at once, which makes it impossible for parents to afford.

“We have learned even with government it is not happening. The funds are not there. Often people would say to students just to work hard in matric and go to university as if it would be that simple. That is why we’re calling on all stakeholders to donate money and give as many students access to education,” says Dlanjwa.

He says that when learners finish school, some do not even apply because they already know that registration fees will be about R13 000.

“Most of the students have been able to receive funding, as the year progresses, however, NSFAS would have only informed applicants in April, that some of them could have gotten bursaries,” says Dlanjwa. He adds students go home at the beginning of the year, only to find that two or three months down the line they have been approved for bursaries.

Dlanjwa will now, as part of the Right to Learn (R2L) challenge, cycle about 1090 kilometres to raise funds for academically talented students who cannot afford university fees. He says an application process is in place to identify the needy students who will need financial assistance.

To be part of the solution you can visit www.ufs.ac.za/giving. For further information on the Right to Learn Campaign, contact Asive Dlanjwa at 073 259 6161 or Ntokozo Nkabinde at 051-401-3966.

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