By Johannah Malogadihlare
The Public Works & Infrastructure Department has awarded 63 bursaries to students who plan on pursuing studies in the built environment.
They were celebrated at an event in Boksburg in Ekurhuleni on Friday, which was attended by Minister Dean Macpherson.
“This ceremony is not just about awarding bursaries to students pursuing studies in the built environment – it sends a powerful message to South Africans across the country – we are building the human foundation necessary for continued infrastructure investment in our nation,” Macpherson said.
According to new policy introduced by the minister, the bursaries require beneficiaries to work for the department or one of its entities for two years or in the private sector, ensuring improved skills retention and diversity across the country’s provinces.
“These students will soon become qualified engineers, quantity surveyors, architects and electricians, creating a vital skills pipeline that will help South Africa become a construction site for decades to come,” he said.
Additionally, the minister said it was the department’s mission to drive economic growth and to create thousands of jobs.
He also mentioned that through acquired skills, learners and the department would lay the foundation for meaningful change in urban and rural communities.
Macpherson said that the recipients came from schools with strong Mathematics and Physical Sciences programmes.
And, schools that wished to be part of the development programme would be given a chance to showcase themselves.
“While these schools were identified prior to my appointment, I am pleased to announce that I have expanded the reach of this bursary programme to include more schools, ensuring every South African with an interest in studying in the built environment can access this opportunity,” Macpherson noted.
Explaining the change in policy, he said it was the country’s loss if the learners did not work in South Africa after studying.
He said the vision of ‘turning South Africa into a construction site’ was not about erecting buildings or laying roads, but creating opportunities, improving lives and building a nation where every citizen could thrive.
“Globally, infrastructure development is among the most powerful tools for stimulating economic growth. It drives local investment, creates jobs and forms the foundation for essential services like healthcare, education and public safety,” the minister said.
Furthermore, he mentioned the responsibilities that defined a constructor and that the success of the bursary scheme would be the result of partnerships with schools, universities, SETAs  and professional bodies.
INSIDE EDUCATION
