Nthabiseng Marie was awarded an HSRC-NRF Labour Market Research scholarship to read for a Masters in Population Studies degree at the University of Kwazulu-Natal.
She writes:
“I am overcome with gratitude in being awarded the scholarship. The financial generosity of the scholarship has aided the lifting of the financial burden that had been placed on my single parent for many years. By being awarded the scholarship I was able to focus on my education and put all my energy into doing all in my classes and work on a dissertation of which I am proud. In addition, it has allowed me to be one step closer to my educational goals.
My experience as a Masters student has been a truly rewarding one. I have been exposed to courses that have helped me develop valuable skills. I have particularly enjoyed and value the quantitative skills I have developed from courses such as Demographic Methods and Research Methods. I have recently submitted my dissertation titled "The Influence of Socioeconomic Status on Achievement in Mathematics and Science in South Africa: Evidence from the Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study 2011". My hope is that this research contributes to the understanding of how best to equalise the educational opportunities afforded to South African learners/students so that the labour skill demands of our growing economy can be met. The overall social and economic development of South Africa depends on the health of the education system.
I look forward to pursuing a PhD in 2015 and to doing more research in the education and skills development field. I truly appreciate the generosity of my sponsors for establishing the scholarship for students like me. Such opportunities definitely help make dreams come true and I am personally grateful for the assistance.”
