TARDI welcomes fully funded first year students
Financial exclusion will be the least of worries for first-year students at the Tsolo Agriculture Rural Development Institute (Tardi) who are studying towards a diploma in animal health. The Tsolo-based institution recently admitted 71 new students for the 2022 academic year.
The cohort of aspiring agricultural scientists has been fully funded for three years of study at the institution. Sixty-five of the new students have been funded by Health and Welfare Seta, with 17 others benefitting from a special project of Health and Welfare Seta. The department of agriculture, land reform and rural development has funded four students, while a further two are financed by the KwaZulu-Natal department of agriculture and rural development.
Agri Seta chief financial officer Mogau Sebela said the organisation funded students in previous years and drafted 60 students into its internship programme. It offered leadership training to 216 graduates from Tardi and other parts of the OR Tambo District. Tardi’s dean of students, Pako Molemela, advised the newcomers to plan ahead to avoid falling behind.
Former Tardi student, Pretty Morrison who is currently studying towards a degree in veterinary services at the University of Pretoria, said students needed mental fortitude to deal with different challenges along the their academic journey. Principal Dr Nandipha Ndudane said Tardi was recognised internationally because of the quality of its programmes and graduates flew the institution’s flag high wherever they went.
Qualifications from Tardi have equipped students with skills that help them find employment in both the public and private sectors. Others may choose a different path by establishing their own agriculture businesses. All 65 students will receive a monthly R3, 500 stipend from the Health and Welfare Seta and talks are underway to accommodate other students