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FASSET | Annual Integrated Report 2022/23

This approach also ensured that the bursaries can off in KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and closed off the
also benefit all public institutions with students from Financial Year in Limpopo with more planned for the
universities, universities of technology and TVET new Financial Year.
college learners targeted. Over 7 000 applications
were received. This highlighted the importance of partnerships
especially within the year under review where
With this being a new approach, some of the programmes such as the internship programme,
challenges experienced included: where beneficiaries were realised, had to be
• FASSET’s administration of bursaries implemented in partnership with non-governmental
organisations, and Non-profit orgnanisations (NGOs
– The number of applications for bursaries & NPO’s) to be able to reach multitudes in rural
received exceeded expectations and areas. This has assisted FASSET to be able to see its
caused a delay in selection and visibility outside dominant metros around the country.
screening of applicants. This benefitted the SETA greatly and over and above

– Delays in payments meeting its target, taking this route ensured that it
was able to gain access to the relevant channels to
• In the 2023/24 Financial Year, FASSET has access the beneficiaries within these communities,
put measures in place to ensure that these beneficiaries that required the assistance the most.
challenges are mitigated.
Another unique programme launched during the
Academic Support roadshows was the Mathematics, Accounting and
English programme which funded organisations in
Another shift in approach during the current Financial the different provinces to deliver extra lessons in the
Year was a bigger focus on allocating funding under aforementioned subjects.The focus was to identify
the academic support programme to historically provinces with weaker outcomes in these subjects
disadvantaged institutions. Most of the time learners based on history and reporting by the Department of
attending historically disadvantaged institutions are Education at the end of each academic year.
learners from disadvantaged backgrounds that may
not, at most times, meet the minimum requirements of Lifelong Learning
superior universities.
FASSET’s Lifelong Learning programme’s objective
FASSET assisted by bringing the academic support is to upskill employees within the Finance and
programme to those particular institutions, especially Accounting Services sector to keep up-to-date
for learners that are struggling academically. This is with new developments. Lifelong Learning took
also aimed at assisting learners in any other element a more focussed approach during the reporting
that might impact them in progressing from one year, presenting on information technology (IT)
academic year to the next. updates that affect the sector and other topics that
were more sector-focussed, such as tax updates,
To roll this out, FASSET strategically reached out reporting standards, and governance. Instead of just
to previously disadvantaged institutions to form providing soft skills, this engagement ensured that
partnerships with specifically rural institutions by the employees within the sector were kept abreast
making them aware of the assistance that can be through relevant experts such as professional bodies.
offered to benefit their students. Academic support
is focussed on the students that are studying The Lifelong Learning target has not been achieved in
qualifications in finance and accounting and in the previous three years. This year FASSET exceeded
the 2022/23 Financial Year 2 733 learners were the target, and mainly through partnerships that were
supported. created with professional bodies that are operating
within the sector. This resulted in an increased number
Reaching Rural Areas of beneficiaries reached.

A number of initiatives addressed the strategic Though most of the topics were high level, FASSET
objective of solidifying a bigger presence in the catered for learners in their final year of studies in the
rural parts of South Africa. A number of roadshows TVET Colleges through providing training in business,
among which the CEO was in attendance, were communication, writing skills and business ethics
undertaken where several projects happening within and how to write a CV preparing them for the road
these areas were launched. This pilot initiative kicked ahead.
Make the future count. | 29