Nearly thirty education institutions for higher learning have joined #FundaFriday, a campaign that plans to use Black Friday as an opportunity to offer short courses, training and higher certificates at huge discounts. According to StatSA, more than half of the country’s youth (18 – 24) do not have the money to study, and #FundayFriday aims to offer some breathing room to those who otherwise would not be able to afford tertiary education.
Over and above the devastating facts of youth unemployment and inequality in South Africa, COVID-19 has hit the most vulnerable the hardest. When young people want to upskill themselves or take the opportunity to grow as individuals there are countless socio and economic barriers that stand between them and the future they want for themselves.
In response to this, The Knowledge Trust has partnered with institutions such as the International Hotel School, Red & Yellow, Beauty Therapy Institute, Matric College, AAA and many others to offer courses at a reduced rate of up to 70% of the overall tuition. Some institutions involved, such as Richfield, are also offering bursaries of up to R100 000 for deserving applicants.
“I will always be grateful for the bursary I received from The Knowledge Trust to pursue my studies at Red & Yellow. They have helped catapult my career in the right direction.” says Phumzile Kumalo from Soweto.
The Knowledge Trust has already gifted over R10 million in free higher education to help young South African’s advance their career, and as the education partner of Trusted Interns, they aim to make education more accessible to more people, more often. #FundaFriday is just another way that they hope to do that.
Those looking to further their education now have the option to choose from careers in I.T, beauty, health, marketing, hospitality, fashion, real estate, finance and so many more because of the collaborative effort by these organisations.
“Education is the catalyst to improving the life of a person, their family and the communities in which they live. As a result, Richfield awards bursaries to support young South Africans to unlock their potential. ” – Adam Kelly, Director of Richfield Institute.
A full list of participating institutions and pre-registration to take advantage of the discounted offerings are already on The Knowledge Trust website. Official applications for bursaries and discounts will open on 25 November 2020, in line with traditional Black Friday dates. Individuals, organisations and institutions who would like to partner with The Knowledge Trust to reshape the education
