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The Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training and the Select Committee on Education have commended the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) for the effort it has put into ensuring that poor students are not excluded from attending university on the basis of financial need.

The two Committees are conducting a joint oversight visit to Gauteng, where they are engaging stakeholders on how best to save the academic year. NSFAS Chief Executive Officer Mr Msulwa Daca told the Committees that no NSFAS qualifying student was turned away and over 50 000 first-time registering students benefited from NSFAS funding.
The Chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training, Ms Connie September, said it is evident that good plans to make education affordable do exist. “What is encouraging is that NSFAS continues to look for alternative ways of raising funds.

When there is movement, it is important to accept and acknowledge that work is being done,” Ms September said. “We welcome the reassurances and the commitment from NSFAS that, following the Minister’s announcement on fees, again, no student will be denied access on financial grounds to university next year. This is reassuring and is the information that poor students need to understand,” she said.

Ms September said the Committees welcomed efforts to address historic debt, the missing middle and the work done by the ministerial task team on fee-free education. NSFAS Board Chairman Mr Sizwe Nxasana also revealed that the ministerial task team report on fee-free education for poor students had been completed and is with the Minister.

Issued by Parliamentary Communication Services on behalf of the Chairperson, Ms Connie September and Ms Lungelwa Zwane