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Staff Reporter
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is perturbed by the occurrences of the past few days, the disruptions in learning activities for beneficiaries in universities and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges.
“These interruptions have been mainly to the changes in policies and guidelines that govern how the system disburses funds to students, more especially the new allowance payment system introduced by NSFAS,” said Board Chairman Ernest Khosa at a briefing in Pretoria on Monday.
“Throughout the years, the scheme has undergone a series of changes and improvements in its processes as well as funding eligibility criteria; this was mainly to ensure that the funding solution being offered to students in higher education and learning is moving with the times and is fit purpose,” he said.
Khosa said it was a tradition that before the finalisation and release of the guidelines, the scheme embarks on a consultation process with sector stakeholders such as the University South Africa(USAF), South Africa’s Public College Organisation (SAPCO), South African Technical and Vocational Education and Training Student Association(SATVETSA) and South African Union of Students (SAUS); to review the guidelines and ensure that they still speak to current challenges faced by students.
Between September 2021 and September 2022, NSFAS Chief Executive Officer Andile Nongogo had several engagements with USAF to discuss funding guidelines and changes in disbursement methods and one of these engagements resulted in the formation of a task team consisting of representatives from NSFAS, USAF and the Department of Higher Education, Science and Innovation.
The CEO discussed, amongst others, the introduction of the direct payment method and taking over student accommodation during a meeting held on the 15th of September 2022.
These matters had been introduced to universities Vice-Chancellors at a previous session as well.
Additionally, NSFAS held national and regional consultations between June 2022 and October 2022 to solicit inputs from stakeholders for consideration, and these inputs were taken into consideration in amending the policies.
“Furthermore, we continued to engage as a scheme with university management and student leadership on the implementation of the direct payment solution until 21 July 2023.”
“It is, therefore, worrisome that the disturbances in question are attributed to an insinuation that NSFAS is imposing system changes; we pride ourselves in being an organisation that promotes accessibility and consultation.”
After thorough investigation, improved relationships with third-party data sources such as SARS and engagements with Auditor General South Africa, NSFAS sought to re-evaluate some applications whose funding had been approved.
After this exercise, investigation results indicated some applicants were not deserving of the funding and had submitted falsified or fraudulent documents; these had to be instantly defunded as a continuation of knowingly funding individuals who do not meet funding requirements would be going against the provisions of the funding policy, while depriving deserving students.
A total of 45 927 were defunded as a result. For example, students would provide correct parental relationships in their first application attempt.
When they get rejected due to the financial status of those parents, and when they reapply, they submit different parental relationships.
“When we did reevaluation, our system picked up the original information previously submitted. And after re-evaluation, funding was reinstated for 14 703 and 31 224 remained unsuccessful, with most first-time entering students having a household income of more than 350k and returning students either not meeting the required academic progression.”
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