DA welcomes the 2 weeks NSFAS funding application for eligible students

18 August 2021

The DA notes the decision taken by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) board to open applications for two weeks for unfunded students. This will give more students the opportunity to further or complete their studies.

The DA raised concerns when the Department of Higher Education, Science and Technology revealed in a reply to our parliamentary question that 52 992 university students and 93 532 Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college students did not receive NSFAS funding for the 2021 academic year. The response also revealed that 22 014 students already achieved their undergraduate university degrees, while 22 649 exceeded the N+2 rule which allows students an extra 2 years of funding to complete their degrees. 8 326 students failed the previous year.

With NSFAS limited funding received from the budgets of universities and TVET colleges, as well the national skills fund for the 2021 academics year, the scheme would be able to fund just more than a million students, and with appeals are still pending and some students not receiving their accommodation and meal allowances, as in the case of the University of Fort Hare, concerns are that NSFAS will be inundated with a flood of applications.

The DA is calling on the parliamentary portfolio committee for higher education, science and technology to call NSFAS to provide the following:

A reconciliatory report to date on funds received, funds disbursed and funds available;

How many students the available funds can accommodate;

How many appeals have been processed;

Which universities still have outstanding registration schedules; and

How many students still need to receive allowances.

This would also be the opportune time for the ministerial task team on student funding to present its findings, which it was due to present to the cabinet in June 2021.

The increase of students applying for NSFAS funding have reached a glass ceiling that will have budget shortfalls of more than R10 billion rand in the coming year.

The DA urges all registered eligible students to use this time to apply for funding. The NSFAS board must also interrogate the sustainability of the fund as a matter of urgency.

Many young people still see education as the only means to escape the shackles of poverty. NSFAS must ensure that the process of applying is as smooth as possible and that any glitches in the system are fixed. Students dependent on NSFAS often have no other means to support themselves through their studies and cannot be left in the lurch.

Issued by Chantel King, DA Shadow Minister for Higher Education, Science & Technology, 18 August 2021