Will Blade blunt NSFAS?
Applications to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) officially opened in November last year and closed at the end of January.
Two and a half months after applications closed, many students are still in limbo, unable to fulfill their dreams of earning a degree or diploma that will lift them out of poverty.
Many people have been told they have been rejected even if they meet the criteria. Some people were told that their parents were incorrectly claimed to be unverified due to a system glitch, but they simply filed an appeal and had their documents resent, with no further communication from NSFAS.
Some have been forced to find a place to sleep, even if it's in a university computer lab, as they wait to hear if their funding application was successful.
In some cases, instructors reportedly allowed students to write tests in order to be able to register later if funds were available. This is a nightmare situation and demands accountability.
In fact, NSFAS is in no better shape than it was six years ago, when it first came into administration in 2018.
In this Friday's briefing, News24's education correspondent Prega Govender takes a closer look at calls for Minister Blade Nzimande to resign in the face of the ongoing crisis, with the minister dissolving the NSFAS board and appointed another administrator.
We also bring you stories from 15 affected students who detail how frustrated they are with the current situation.
Ahmed Essop, a researcher at the University of Johannesburg's Ali Mazrui Center for Higher Education Research, analyzes the situation. He writes that a lack of accountability from both the board and ministers is at the heart of the NSFAS crisis.
Finally, there was a submission from Dr Pethiwe Matuthu, Chief Executive Officer of Universities South Africa, detailing some of the issues that universities have with NSFAS and what needs to be done to resolve them. Masu.
This is an important issue, with the future of nearly 1.3 million students at stake.
Through this Friday briefing, we will find out more about what is needed to ensure NSFAS is fully operational, rather than thousands of students being denied access to higher education to improve their lives. I hope you get some insight.
The best,
Vanessa Bunton
opinion editor
Six years after the first NSFAS administrator was appointed, the scheme still appears to be plagued by the same problems that brought it under its umbrella. Ahmed Essop Think about who is to blame for the mess.