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As the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) closes the bursary applications on Wednesday, SA Students Congress (Sasco) has called on the scheme and the universities to resolve issues such as registration fees and accommodation accreditation issues that impact the students.
In a video shared on social media platforms Buti Manamela, the deputy minister of higher education, science and innovation, urged all students wishing to study at public universities and Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges to submit their applications before the closing date.
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Manamela noted that Nsfas was currently funding more than 1.4 million students at public universities and TVET colleges.
The deputy minister said:
"Visit www.nsfas.org.za and create a user profile under myNSFAS. All you need is a cellphone or computer with internet access and an email address," Manamela said.
Manamela added that Sassa beneficiaries are approved almost immediately.
Sasco has labelled this application period as problematic. Yandisa Mhlelembana from Sasco in Gauteng told City Press that universities, having decided not to cover the student's registration fees until the scheme pays them, now indicated that the space would not be reserved if the prospective students failed to pay the registration fee, which was between R5 000 and R10 000.
Mhlelembana said:
Sasco attributed the conflict between the scheme and universities to issues related to direct payments. "Universities want to appoint service providers. They are also fighting Nsfas centralising student accommodation accreditation. Universities want the accreditation to be done at the institutions and not at the Nsfas level," Mhlelembana explained.
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"It is a very tricky situation and the students at the end of the day are getting the short end of the stick."
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He added that Sasco would be meeting with the universities' finance departments to negotiate for Nsfas-approved students to be allowed to register.
Manamela cautioned applicants to be wary of fake websites and warned against accepting offers from individuals claiming to accelerate applications in exchange for money.
