, REPORT ON AN INVESTIGATION INTO HOW THE OPEN LEARNING BURSARY SCHEME WORKED
1. TERMS OF REFERENCE
On 1 May 2026, Ms Thando Morule, Student Support Manager at Marara Technical College,
requested that Ms Motle, the Administrative Officer, investigate how the Open Learning Bursary
Scheme worked, the progress on students’ applications, and inconsistencies in the awarding of
funds to students at the Technical College. The full report, including recommendations, was to be
submitted to the Student Support Manager by 30 May 2026.
2. PROCEDURES
The following procedures were followed to gather relevant information.
2.1
The Chief Financial Officer of the Open Learning Bursary Scheme, Ms Owen, was consulted to
establish the criteria followed in selecting eligible students for funding and progress made on
processing applications.
2.2
A meeting was held with ten Student Representative Council leaders to establish how the students
were affected by challenges of the bursary scheme and how they could be assisted.
2.3
Questionnaires were administered to students at all levels of the college programmes to establish
which groups were severely affected by inconsistencies in the allocation of bursary funds.
2.4
Three Student Representative Council members, a representative from the college finance office,
and the Open Learning Bursary Scheme, respectively, held discussions at the local radio station to
establish ways of addressing students’ funding issues.
1. TERMS OF REFERENCE
On 1 May 2026, Ms Thando Morule, Student Support Manager at Marara Technical College,
requested that Ms Motle, the Administrative Officer, investigate how the Open Learning Bursary
Scheme worked, the progress on students’ applications, and inconsistencies in the awarding of
funds to students at the Technical College. The full report, including recommendations, was to be
submitted to the Student Support Manager by 30 May 2026.
2. PROCEDURES
The following procedures were followed to gather relevant information.
2.1
The Chief Financial Officer of the Open Learning Bursary Scheme, Ms Owen, was consulted to
establish the criteria followed in selecting eligible students for funding and progress made on
processing applications.
2.2
A meeting was held with ten Student Representative Council leaders to establish how the students
were affected by challenges of the bursary scheme and how they could be assisted.
2.3
Questionnaires were administered to students at all levels of the college programmes to establish
which groups were severely affected by inconsistencies in the allocation of bursary funds.
2.4
Three Student Representative Council members, a representative from the college finance office,
and the Open Learning Bursary Scheme, respectively, held discussions at the local radio station to
establish ways of addressing students’ funding issues.
