Only 109 000 Students Fully Approved For NSFAS
More than a million students will be funded by NSFAS in 2024. Despite significant challenges, the financial aid scheme remains committed to assisting students.
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) will remain committed to its mandate to provide comprehensive funding to assist poor and working-class students obtain tertiary education.
This was the message from Professor Lourens Van Staden when briefing members of the media on Monday morning to provide updates on the student registration process, payment of NSFAS allowances and shed light on the accommodation pilot programme.
Van Staden says NSFAS has worked diligently with stakeholders in the higher education sector to address registration challenges faced by students.
Several measures have been put in place to ensure that these students are assessed during the 2024 academic year.
NSFAS offers comprehensive bursaries and student loans to deserving students enrolled in approved courses at public universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges.
NSFAS received more than 1.9 million funding applications for the 2024 academic year. 1.24 million students are provisionally funded for the upcoming academic year. However, only around 109,000 students were fully approved for funding as NSFAS received their registration data from institutions.
More than 200,000 applications were rejected by NSFAS. Of these rejected applicants, only around 14,000 students have submitted NSFAS appeal applications.
It was revealed 59,000 bursary applications are awaiting evaluations and more than 94,000 applicants are still required to submit supporting documents to NSFAS. 84,000 applications have been withdrawn by students.
Student Registration
Many students around the country have encountered challenges registering for the 2024 academic year. One of the main challenges preventing students from registering is due to unpaid fees from NSFAS.
Through regular visits to campuses and the provision of assistance and support, NSFAS aims to alleviate the tensions and contribute to a harmonious academic environment for all our institutions.
Van Staden says members of the NSFAS board visited several hotspot areas to assist with registration challenges.
The activating NSFAS board chair said they are currently working to establish regional operation centres across the country. This is being done to ensure NSFAS has a presence in all provinces and can assist should challenges arise.
Increasing NSFAS Capacity
In 2024, Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande launched the comprehensive student funding model. The launch of the funding model meant that in addition to the bursaries provided to students, NSFAS will also provide funding to missing middle students in the form of student loans.
Van Staden says NSFAS is hard at work to ensure the effectiveness and efficiency of all their systems to be up to the task of the additional responsibilities.
We have made significant strides to review our communication system which is critical for us to have a seamless integrated system to engage all our institutions.
The activating chair revealed that the financial aid scheme also introduced a performance management and accountability framework to establish a high-performance culture at NSFAS.
Work is also underway to improve the NSFAS call centre after numerous complaints about their ability to handle queries efficiently.
Student Accommodation Pilot
The NSFAS student accommodation pilot programme was launched to ensure that student accommodation service providers deliver accommodation that is accessible, decent, safe, and academically conducive for all students.
Van Staden has called on accommodation providers to check the accommodation portal to check their status if they applied for accreditation.
Students who decide against staying in accommodation assigned to them will be provided with a transport allowance from NSFAS.
Allegations of corruption have been about possible collusion between accommodation accreditation officials and landlords. This could lead to inappropriate accommodation being accredited for NSFAS-funded students.
If this is indeed true, we wish to reiterate that this will not be tolerated by the scheme and that should anyone be found in the wrong, NSFAS will report this to law enforcement agencies
The acting board chair encouraged anyone with information to report any allegations of fraud to Vuvuzela.
- Toll-free number: 0860 247 653
- SMS Call-back to 30916
- Fax: 086 726 1681
- Email address: nsfas@thehotline.co.za
- visit: www.thehotline.co.za
Van Staden says in the future no NSFAS students will be permitted to reside in unaccredited accommodation.
Why Van Staden Was Appointed
Minister Nzimande announced Van Staden’s appointment in January 2024 amid several challenges at the government financial aid scheme.
Nzimande’s announcement came just days after NSFAS Board Chairperson Ernest Khosa voluntarily tabled a notice of 30 days’ leave of absence. Their leave of absence will allow the organisation to investigate claims made against him and Minister Nzimande.
The Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (OUTA) claims that Khosa along with Nzimande received kickbacks for the awarding of a lucrative tender.
OUTA released voice recordings from two meetings between NSFAS Board Chairperson Ernest Khosa and a service provider representative. The recording suggests that in exchange for these payments, the service providers would be awarded lucrative tenders to pay NSFAS allowances to qualify students and receive protection.
