25 August 2015
China beckons to 53 scholarship recipients, who have landed an opportunity to study in the eastern nation. They were excited about the chance, they said at a pre-departure orientation yesterday at Unisa (University of South Africa) in Pretoria.
The Department of Higher Education and Training receives scholarships from various foreign governments that are targeted at South African youth to advance the skills development agenda.
Time of possibility
Kgaugelo Mpyana said he was looking forward to his degree in architecture at the Beijing University of Technology.
“This is a great opportunity for me because China is the generation of great innovation,” he said. “I will get an opportunity to learn from the best at no cost at all.”
Ofentse Tyawo was thrilled that her dreams to study in China were finally being realised. She will be studying an undergraduate in biological sciences at East China University.
Both students will also do a year-long Mandarin course, as well as learn more about Chinese culture.
Mutual respect
“This is an opportunity of a lifetime; grab it with both hands,” advised Higher Education and Training Deputy Minister Mduduzi Manana. “We are proud that you have been selected and that you have shown bravery because it’s not an easy decision to make to go study abroad.”
He encouraged students to represent South Africa well in China. “Respect the cultural norms and values of China; make sure that you adjust to them.”
Li Song, China’s deputy ambassador to South Africa, congratulated the scholarship recipients and thanked them for choosing to study in his country. “I believe that through their hard work, these young talents will come back and contribute to the rainbow nation after their successful completion of their studies in China,” Song said.
“South Africa has the most overseas Chinese students in Africa,” he added. There were 1 100 South African students studying in China and more than 2 400 Chinese students studying in South Africa.
More than 180 applications were received for the scholarships.
Source: SAnews.gov
