Nzimande urges institutions to allow Nsfas-funded students with outstanding payments to register

Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation, Dr Blade Nzimande has urged institutions to not deny Nsfas-funded students with outstanding payments the right to register for the 2024 academic year.

Nzimande briefed the media on the state of readiness for the 2024 academic year, response to the 2023 Matric results, and National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas) on Tuesday afternoon.

The minister congratulated the Class of 2023 for raising the number of bachelor passes from 38.4% in 2022 to 40.9% in 2023.

“This commendable upward trajectory provides yet another opportunity for our post-school education and training sector to meet its National Development Plan targets,” Nzimande said.

30-year anniversary of SA’s democracy

Nzimande said South African universities are on course to meet the National Development Plan target of 1,62 million enrolments by 2030.

ALSO READ: Nzimande denies wrongdoing amidst more conflict of interest claims

He said that the department has decided to further increase the TVET college system towards the goal of 2.5 million enrolments, but he added that it would need new infrastructure, staff, student enrollment, and more funding.

“Since the advent of our democratic government, we have substantially grown access by systematically transforming the nature, size, and shape of our post-education system to meet South Africa’s vital national development goals,” Nzimande said.

According to the department, the overall enrolment of black African students in public universities has significantly increased, accounting for over 80% of total student enrolment.

Expenditure on schooling

Nzimande said that South Africa’s expenditure on schooling exceeds international standards set by UNESCO.

According to the minister, about 22.7% of public spending and about 7% of the country’s GDP are allocated to education, and UNESCO recommends allocating 15-20% of public spending and 4-6% of GDP to education.

ALSO READ: Do we really need Nsfas?

“We are above international norms on expenditure,” the minister said.

Nzimande said this amid reports that the department hiked up university fees for 2024, which he dismissed.

Nsfas

The minister said that through the Nsfas, the department continues to support children from working-class and poor backgrounds, with more than 70% of students and over 90% of TVET college students benefiting from the scheme.

“This is a clear success story of the sixth administration and a lasting legacy for future generations. Baphi aba bathi asisebenzi (Where are those who say we don’t work?)” Nzimande said, taking a swipe at Nsfas detractors.

The minister said he welcomed the intervention from the Nsfas board to develop mechanisms to deal with all challenges, and he would monitor developments.

ALSO READ: Nzimande announces R3.8bn loan scheme for ‘missing middle’ students in 2024

On outstanding allowances, Nzimande called on Nsfas and the institutions to ensure that they speedily resolve all outstanding cases. He further urged institutions to not deny Nsfas-funded students with outstanding payments the right to register for the 2024 academic year.

“I have noted with concern that the main reason for outstanding payments was due to reconciliations that Nsfas has been engaged with institutions predominately because of registration data changes,” he said.

“Nsfas needs to be more strict in 2024 in how it manages the registration adjustment process, and institutions should submit the registration information accurately and timeously upon first submission.”

To date, Nsfas has received 1,5 million applications as of 21 January 2024. The scheme has provisionally funded 657 703 applications, mainly Sassa recipients.

“We call upon all students to please apply on time, fill out all the forms, and sign the consent forms in order to ensure that you have applied,” Nzimande said.

ALSO READ: ‘We were not involved’, says fintech company implicated in Nsfas corruption allegations

New universities

The minister further announced that new universities of science and innovation in Ekurhuleni and of crime and policing studies in Hammanskraal are in the plans.

“The planning work is currently underway to provide the government with detailed plans to enable the long-term development of the new academic institutions, and it is expected that this work will commence in 2024,” Nzimande said.

2024 state of readiness

The department has established a monitoring tool to access registration, readiness for teaching and learning, academic support for students, management of stakeholder relations, funding plans, and the status of institutional finances and challenges. It has also activated an operations room and observatory to ensure timely reporting and discussion of challenges experienced during the registration period.

According to Nzimande, South Africa’s TVET headcount enrolment is 482 244 for the 2024 academic year, and all South African universities received 270 000 applications for scarce skills, and 67 929 of these first-time entering enrolments will be within scare areas.

In the engineering field, universities are expecting 18 541 new students in life and physical science (16,415), animal sciences (614), veterinary sciences (204), human health (9,455), and education (22,698).

ALSO READ: Nzimande dismisses ‘false and ill-informed’ reports he hiked university fees

The universities that will accept late applications are Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), Durban University of Technology (DUT), Mangosuthu University of Technology, Rhodes University, Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), University of Fort Hare, University of Zululand (UNIZULU), and Walter Sisulu University.

Bogus colleges

The minister sent a warning to unsuspecting students and parents to be aware of bogus colleges that mislead the public through false advertisements.

“I expect the public to be vigilant and not fall for fake operators who are not registered and recognised by the South African qualifications system. We urge all parents and students to check on registered colleges on our DHET website,” Nzimande said.