Bhisho – The Eastern Cape government has set aside R4 million in bursaries for students from previously disadvantaged communities.

The provincial department of transport is offering 80 bursaries for the 2007 academic year.

Spokesperson Ncedo Kumbaca said in order to qualify, applicants had to be residents of either Graaf-Reinet, Aberdeen, Grahamstown, Craddock, Engcobo, Sterkspruit, Maclear, Aliwal North, Maluti, Mbizana or Port St Johns.

He said they were focusing on these towns because in the past, there had been more focus on the province’s cities.

“Taking these small towns into consideration will have a spin-off on poverty alleviation and job creation. We know the rate of unemployment there is very high,” he said.

Mr Kumbaca said eligible students between the ages of 18 and 35 would be required to follow transport related courses.

Out of the 80 bursaries offered by the department, 15 are for civil engineering, five for mechanical engineering, three for railway engineering, two for aeronautical engineering and five for transport economics.

Mr Kumbaca said requirements for applicants wanting to become traffic officers included a Grade 12 certificate, Code B drivers’ licence, no criminal record and a medical certificate.

In another initiative of the department, it had spent R800 000 this year to train 31 women as traffic officers.