Higher education and training minister Blade Nzimande has dismissed misinformation peddled by “individuals with twisted agendas” about plans to “convert” the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) to a loan.
The minister said beneficiaries of the NSFAS bursary scheme are not required to pay back the money spent towards their tuition fees.
Nzimande on Tuesday briefed the media on the state of readiness for the post-school education and training sector.
He announced that last year he appointed a task team to develop a new student financial aid policy about the development of a funding scheme for students who don’t qualify for NSFAS.
Nzimande said he was awaiting a progress report which would be presented to him in the first half of 2022.
“The ministerial task team has already started engaging the banking community and the financial sector, and progress has been made in this regard. We are in discussions with the banking association of SA on work that needs to be done to develop a possible, affordable loan scheme for students falling outside the NSFAS funding regime,” said Nzimande.
The minister was widely criticised on social media for “attempts to reverse free education” and accused of being anti-poor.
The minister responded to the claims, saying: "contrary to misleading reports on social media, the NSFAS has not been converted to a loan. NSFAS is a bursary and students are not expected to pay back the money spent towards their education.
“Students’ responsibility is to focus on their studies and pass. This is a return of investment that they can do in honour of the government and the taxpayers of our country," he added.
The minister said on Tuesday the scheme received more than 900,000 applications from applicants who intend to further their post-school education at 50 Technical Vocational Education & Training (TVET) colleges and 26 public universities.
The applications were received between November 2021 and January 21.
He said the list of students approved for funding will be sent by the scheme to institutions of learning.
Qualifying applicants must be:
- From a household with a combined income of not more than R350,000 a year
- Be living with disabilities and have a combined household income of not more than R600,000 a year
- Or be permanent residents with a valid permit issued by the department of home affairs.
‘Twisted agendas’ — Blade Nzimande rubbishes claims NSFAS will be converted to a loan
Image: Jairus Mmutle/GCIS
Higher education and training minister Blade Nzimande has dismissed misinformation peddled by “individuals with twisted agendas” about plans to “convert” the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) to a loan.
The minister said beneficiaries of the NSFAS bursary scheme are not required to pay back the money spent towards their tuition fees.
Nzimande on Tuesday briefed the media on the state of readiness for the post-school education and training sector.
He announced that last year he appointed a task team to develop a new student financial aid policy about the development of a funding scheme for students who don’t qualify for NSFAS.
Nzimande said he was awaiting a progress report which would be presented to him in the first half of 2022.
“The ministerial task team has already started engaging the banking community and the financial sector, and progress has been made in this regard. We are in discussions with the banking association of SA on work that needs to be done to develop a possible, affordable loan scheme for students falling outside the NSFAS funding regime,” said Nzimande.
The minister was widely criticised on social media for “attempts to reverse free education” and accused of being anti-poor.
The minister responded to the claims, saying: "contrary to misleading reports on social media, the NSFAS has not been converted to a loan. NSFAS is a bursary and students are not expected to pay back the money spent towards their education.
“Students’ responsibility is to focus on their studies and pass. This is a return of investment that they can do in honour of the government and the taxpayers of our country," he added.
The minister said on Tuesday the scheme received more than 900,000 applications from applicants who intend to further their post-school education at 50 Technical Vocational Education & Training (TVET) colleges and 26 public universities.
The applications were received between November 2021 and January 21.
He said the list of students approved for funding will be sent by the scheme to institutions of learning.
Qualifying applicants must be:
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