Africa-Press – Lesotho. As part of its corporate social responsibility initiatives, Standard Lesotho Bank (SBL) has launched the SBL Bursary Fund that is intended to support 50 academically gifted students from less
privileged families, to help them acquire high school education. Speaking at the launch, SBL Acting Head of Brand and Marketing Manyathela Kheleli indicated that the fund is also intended to promote academic excellence and shape the next
generation in order to build national capacity and local human capital to make a meaningful contribution to the country. He said this is in line with the national priorities as set out in the National Strategic Development Plan II
(NSDPII) of the Lesotho government and the Sustainable Development Goal 4
(SDG4) of the United Nations (UN) towards ‘Ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all. “The
Bank has invested M650 000 for the first 5 years and this bursary is opened for all Basotho in all districts of the country. The bursary is free and open to
qualifying candidates and it is open for both boys and girls,” Kheleli explained. He informed that the SLB bursary will commence in 2022 and the capital will cover all tuition fees and living expenses of
qualifying students. “The bursary is intended for academically gifted students from families with a combined monthly income of less than M3000 per month, at
any high school class until they finish their Lesotho General Secondary Education (LGSCE) examinations. It also incorporates career guidance, mentorship and psycho-social support to recipients during the tenure of their
sponsorship,” he noted. Kheleli furthered that the bursary fund is intended to decrease the numbers of pupils who drop out of school, especially at high school level due to financial constraints,
“Our government has made it possible for students to go past “free” primary and
also introduced funding for learners in higher education through the National Manpower Development Secretariat (NMDS) so we saw a need to support high school
learners. The fund has been recognized by the SLB as an initiative that has potential to address the plight of gifted but economically challenged Basotho
children, who lose on the potential to be future leaders in the country and it also responds to a gap in universal access to education,” he directed. He
also mentioned that one of the important pillars of the bank’s corporate social responsibility projects is education and that education is the foundation of
life and indeed country’s economy. He pointed that this bursary fund is intended to nurture future leaders early in their formative years because “a good tomorrow starts today”.
He added that those lives which will be touched by this initiative are also destined to be their customers in the future, saying for them it goes beyond being a good corporate citizen but also planting a seed
for their customers of tomorrow. SBL Information Technology (IT) Personnel Maria Sefuba outlined entry requirements for interested candidates, stating thus; “High performing students with average
of 70% or higher, the only students who may apply are those who are not sponsored by another organizations. They are expected to provide application letter motivating why they should be considered, applicant’s identity document,
recent academic report, testimonial from school indicating performance, behavior and economic conditions of the applicant and parents or guardian’s proof of income,” she listed.
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