The Higher Education Department says it has appointed a team to ensure that outstanding National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) allowances are urgently paid to its beneficiaries.
This comes as disgruntled students plan to march on the NSFAS offices over the unpaid funds.
According to NSFAS, universities and TVET colleges did not submit registration data to the organisation on time, resulting in delays in payments.
Department Spokesperson Veli Mbele says they’ve appointed Director-General Dr Nkosinathi Sishi as the team leader of a project to ensure that payments are made.
“What is happening at this stage is that the NSFAS team is working with those institutions where the payments have not been done and students are going to get communication from their institutions because NSFAS is going to work with them to receive the data and that is being done now. After the process is completed, they will then make an announcement. So, each student will get their communication through the institution and/or NSFAS. But it is a process that is now managed jointly by both NSFAS and the institutions.”
Mbele elaborates in the podcast below:
NSFAS board dissolved
Meanwhile, Minister Blade Nzimande, who has since announced the dissolution of the NSFAS board, says the decision is part of measures to improve the organisational efficiency of the student scheme.
South African Students’ Congress (Sasco) president, Vezinhlanhla Simelane, has described the dissolution as a victory for South African students who depend on NSFAS funding.
Student congresses under the Economic Freedom Fighters and the Democratic Alliance have demanded that Nzimande take accountability for the situation at NSFAS.
VIDEO | NSFAS students beneficiaries unhappy over unpaid allowances:
