NSFAS News

Nsfas Achieves Major Milestone In Supporting Students

Published

5 hours ago

November 19, 2023

NSFA has reached a great number of students since becoming a bursary and made tertiary education much more accessible. A new milestone has been reached by the Scheme in the current financial year

Nsfas Achieves Major Milestone In Supporting Students

Universities South Africa, formerly Higher Education South Africa, highlighted in 2011 that the low student success rate in the public Higher Education system indicated the system’s dysfunction. One third of the sample population completed a qualification within the prescribed time frame, according to the body.

Several stakeholders in the Higher Education sector called for strengthening both academic support programmes and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).

In looking back at its history, the government bursary scheme is proud of the milestones it has achieved to support deserving students.

Statement By Dr. Blade Nzimande

According to a recent statement by Dr. Blade Nzimande, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation:

For this current financial year, Nsfas has approved the provisional funding of a record and milestone of 1,083,055 students.

Nzimande says this is a major milestone in the government’s effort to fund students from the working class and the poor. The budget set aside for these students’ education is expected to be around R47.6 billion this year.

For a delayed free academic year, NSFAS-funded students will also be able to register without making any upfront payments, unlike last year.Public universities and colleges will receive these payments, and students will also receive their payments.

As a result of student and parent concerns regarding delays in the provision of information to NSFAS, the department will soon engage university registrars to discuss the matter.

Providing students with a housing platform as well as a direct payment platform enables the Scheme to meet their housing needs and ensure the well-being of its students.