Mugabe scholarship recipients off to South Africa

A hundred beneficiaries of the Presidential Scholarship left the country yesterday to persue studies at three universities in neighbouring South Africa.

Information, Media and Broadcasting Services Minister Dr Christopher Mushohwe said it had been three years since the Government last sponsored disadvantaged children to further their studies at South African universities.

"This year we are only taking 100 new students to South Africa. For the past three or so years we have not been sending students to universities due to financial constraints.

"Fort Hare made a special request to President Mugabe during their centenary celebrations to send students as the numbers were dwindling. Everything is sorted out for the new recipients and they are leaving today," said Dr Mushohwe.

He said of the 100 students, 50 were going to University of Fort Hare and the rest were going to University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) and University of Johannesburg (UJ).

"We wanted some of the 100 to take some courses which are not offered by Fort Hare. So 25 will be going to (UJ) and the other 25 to Wits where they will study all facets of engineering and accounting," said Dr Mushohwe who is also the Executive Director of the Presidential Scholarship Department in the Office of the President and Cabinet.

He added that returning students had already left to continue their studies.

"I had to rush to Harare to sort out their visas last week. I also consulted with South Africa's Minister of Home Affairs Malusi Gigaba who helped us a lot to obtain study visas."

President Mugabe graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in History and English at Fort Hare University in 1951.

The Presidential Scholarship has seen thousands of disadvantaged children from across the country studying for various programmes at the university.