Are you an aspiring teacher?

Apply for a Vejayanthran Scholarship which funds 100% of the PGCE qualification (the ONLY qualification that provides professional registration with the South African Council for Educators) at the University of Cape Town.

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About The Vejayanthran Education Fund

Vejayanthran Naidoo was a leading South African educator and principal who served the education community in KwaZulu Natal for over 30 years. He spent most of his career in education as a principal of Esselen Heights Primary, serving the entire school community for 21 years. Under his knowledgeable guidance and leadership, Esselen Heights grew from strength to strength becoming one of the top schools in the country.He felt it was critical to empower and capacitate all those under his leadership. The Vejayanthran Education Fund honours his commitment and continues to build the next generation of education leaders.

Mission

The Vejayanthran Education Fund (VEF) aims to transform the educational landscape of South Africa by empowering future educators.Our mission is to develop 20 new world-class teachers by 2030 by providing scholarships to high-potential students, who face financial constraints, to pursue a Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) at the University of Cape Town, the number one ranked university on the continent.By fostering highly trained, professional educators, we honour the legacy of Vejayanthran Naidoo and contribute to building a more equitable, high-quality education system in South Africa.

The Problem

South Africa faces a significant decline in the number of aspiring teachers due to the discontinuation of NSFAS funding for the Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE).
At the University of Cape Town, South Africa's top university, 3000 aspiring teachers apply for 300 places. Out of those applications, 500 places are offered but only 300 are able to accept the offer. 200 aspiring teachers (40%) fail to accept their dream offer due to financial constraints which is cited as the primary reason.This drop off threatens to deepen the shortage of qualified teachers, particularly impacting schools in under-resourced areas.
World class teachers are essential to bridging educational gaps and fostering a higher standard of learning, especially in communities that face socio-economic challenges.Funding high-potential students for their PGCE ensures a consistent influx of skilled, committed educators who can address these challenges and uplift the quality of education in South Africa.

The Vejayanthran Scholarship

At the Vejayanthran Education Fund (VEF), our mission is to develop world-class teachers who can inspire and uplift the next generation of South African students. To achieve this, we provide scholarships to high-potential students who face financial constraints, ensuring that passionate and talented individuals can pursue their calling in education.Scholarship Overview: Selected scholarship recipients will receive R100,000 in funding to support their pursuit of a one year Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) at the University of Cape Town (UCT), the top-ranked university on the African continent. This scholarship aims to remove financial barriers, enabling future educators to focus on their studies and professional development.

Eligibility Criteria

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