New Higher Ed minister committed to 'rooting out corruption and maladministration in NSFAS'

17 Jul 2024

In her maiden budget speech in Parliament, Higher Education and Training Minister Dr Nobuhle Nkabane said expanding access to higher education and training opportunities remained the goal, and that she had a 'moral responsibility' to tackle the challenges within NSFAS.

Dr Nobuhle Nkabane tabled her priorities as the minister of higher education and training during her budget vote speech at Parliament on Tuesday, saying: “It remains our goal to expand access to higher education and training opportunities and improve the quality of provisioning responsiveness and efficiency of the post-school education and training system."

The Department of Higher Education and Training tabled a budget of R137, 5-billion for the 2024/25 financial year, a 4.8% increase from the R130, 5-billion in 2023/24 financial year, and plans a R250,2-billion budget for the 2026/27 financial year.

NSFAS

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) was an ongoing talking point during the debate. MPs spoke extensively about the scheme – how it has been run and its failure to produce a financial report for two consecutive years.

The department has allocated more than R46-billion to NSFAS as part of the budget to ensure that it is capable of conducting its duties to fund students. Nkabane said there had been many calls to transform NSFAS, and the department was committed to listening to the prayers of parents and students to resolve the issues of funding and payment challenges.

“We are taking proactive steps to alleviate these problems facing the NSFAS. It is our moral responsibility to resolve these challenges. It is our commitment to root out corruption and maladministration in the NSFAS payment systems,” said Nkabane.

NSFAS was placed under administration in April 2024 following the dissolving of the NSFAS board by former minister Blade Nzimande due to irregularities that were found in the payment system, when students did not receive their allowances.

Read more: Troublesome NSFAS will be held accountable, says newly elected chair of higher education oversight committee

Daily Maverick reported that some universities are still dealing with issues such as outstanding NSFAS payments from 2023, and waiting for the finalisation of students’ funding status for 2024.

Read more: Universities struggle with ‘perennial’ NSFAS issues as they focus on admission and registration

The MK party rejected the budget until matters such as postgraduate funding is included, and financial reports from NSFAS are brought forward.

“The budget does not deal with postgrad funding, and it also does not deal with the matter of historical debt, and the holding of certificates of graduates,” said the party’s Mnqobi Msezane.

Accommodation

A shortage of student accommodation was one of the major issues that was raised in the budget vote. Lack of accommodation has left students sleeping in corridors, classrooms and hallways. Last year, students at the University of Cape Town (UCT) and the University of KwaZulu-Natal protested over the lack of accommodation, shutting down all campus activities in protest against fee blocks and access to student housing.

Read more: Shutdown rocks UCT on first day of study as students fume over fee blocks, housing

Nkabane said she had listened to the voices of students and landlords for providing students with accommodation, and that she was inspired by these voices to acknowledge common ground regarding the hopes and aspirations of students.

According to the annual performance plan that was presented last week, three (5,000 beds) housing projects were to be completed in 2024/25 and five (10,000 beds) in 2026/27.

Rejecting the budget, the EFF has criticised the department for failing to provide adequate accommodation to students.

“Students leave their different homes to only arrive at the institutions of higher learning and be provided no accommodation, forced to sleep in the halls and also inhabitable places and get exposed to many social injustices,” said Mandla Shikwambana.

Read more:NSFAS reveals myriad ‘challenges’, with over 36 000 students still without beds in 2024

Gender-based violence

Acknowledging that there is bender-based violence (GBV) in higher education, the minister has allocated R10,8-million to support the implementation of GBV programmes, and health and awareness in education communities and colleges.

Stacey-Lee Khojane (Patriotic Alliance MP and former university lecturer) implored the minister to make sure that she also joins hands with the SAPS for student safety.

“We cannot have students fearing for their lives when they leave the institutions. We cannot take student money and not protect them when they exit the gate of the university or technical vocational education and training colleges,” said Khojane.

Changing the mindset of men and boys within the post-school education and training sector concerning GBV is destined to be a complex mission, exacerbated by the patriarchal attitudes and practices that persist within South African higher education.

Read more: SA’s higher education sector must foster more dialogues on gender dynamics, GBV and safe spaces

Seta and workplace readiness

The Sector Education and Training Authority (Seta), a South African body in charge of overseeing skills development and training within a particular industry sector, has been allocated R333-million to implement the objective of the department, which is “to develop a skilled and capable workforce while broadening the skills base of the country to support inclusive growth”, said Nkabane.

Deputy Minister Dr Mimmy Gondwe said Seta had faced challenges often made by misplaced priorities, and it would be a failure for the department to not intervene to help 21 Setas combat unemployment.

Mathlodi Maseko (DA) said: “Robust plans must be developed to ensure students are equipped with the skills and knowledge they need to succeed in the workplace.”

Turning up the heat at the debate, the ANC’s Fasiha Hassan – a former #FeesMustFall student activist and now lawyer turned politician who made her maiden speech in Parliament – emphasised the role played by the ANC-led government that responded to the Fees Must Fall protest, saying that the ANC-led government would never jeopardise the futures of young people and that the objective was to create stability within NSFAS.

Responding to the EFF’s demands – such as the removal of student debt and providing students with their qualifications even when they did not repay their fees – Hassan said: “We appreciate your enthusiasm in coming to the house (Parliament) listing all of those issues, and it’s quite easy to come to this platform and present a shopping list when you don’t have to actually be the ones to implement it.”

NSFAS is due to appear before the higher education portfolio committee by the end of July. DM

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NSFAS

Accommodation

Gender-based violence

Seta and workplace readiness