Study finance provider Eduloan has extended its services to students of the Southern African Virtual School (SAVS), a recently established online school offering grades six through 12 in the US high school curriculum.
This is an opportunity for Eduloan to assist with skills growth in SA, says Charlotte Smit, chief marketing and sales officer at Eduloan.
"There are thousands of South Africans who have not completed their studies," Smit continues, adding that many cannot proceed to tertiary education or jobs because their secondary education results have prohibited them.
E-learning is, at times, the only suitable option through which people can obtain the education they need, she says.
"Many of our applicant families request a payment plan option," says Keith Maree, founder and CEO of SAVS. "Our affiliation with Eduloan and the resultant availability of student loans provides these families with a flexible and affordable alternative. We expect this ease of access to educational funding to expand our student base."
Eduloan funds primary, secondary and tertiary education not limited to traditional universities. "Our entire value proposition is for life-long learning," says Smit. Study loans for minors completing primary or secondary school are taken out in their parents or guardians' names, she explains.
As well as covering course fees, Eduloan offers to cover extras such as registration fees, textbooks and technology, like laptops.
The South African Virtual School, which received its first students in December 2014, currently teaches 19 full-time students and expects in excess of 200 students by the start of 2016, says Maree.
SAVS students can obtain internationally-accredited American high school diplomas or American College Preparatory high school diplomas. SAVS also offers the Career Online high school programme, an 18-month course for students aged 16 and older who have obtained grade-eight-level education at an accredited school. Career Online students graduate with an American high school diploma and career certificate in one of eight available career paths.
The school plans to offer online courses in line with the South African curriculum assessment policy statements, and adhering to National Senior Certificate requirements, within the next two years, says Maree.
"It is extremely important that online courses are more than simply clicking through a few screens. Online courses need to include photos, videos, interactive activities and continuous assessment capability, to name a few. Unfortunately, we have yet to see all of these elements present in existing online content covering SA-focused subject areas."
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