Engagements between student bodies, higher education, and management at institutions of higher learning are vital. A student body and other relevant stakeholders held a meeting that will affect NSFAS funded students, however, the body is still waiting for the Scheme to formally publish the updated guidelines and policies.
Student Union Awaits New Guidelines From NSFAS
The South African Union for Students (SAUS) had recently met with the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET).
SAUS had hoped for the department to at least deliver on some of its commitments such as the finalization of the NSFAS funding guidelines and conclusion of the Vaccination guidelines for institutions.
SAUS had released a statement in November 2021, that strongly rejected the then-proposed NSFAS guidelines for funding.
Below are the then proposed guidelines:
- Continuing students should pass 75% of their modules
- N+ Rule
- No increment on allowances
- Standardisation of Private Accommodation Allowance
Thereafter, NSFAS started a process of consultation towards reviewing their funding policy and guidelines.
Conclusions are said to have been made through various inputs from stakeholders across the Higher Education sector.
In a statement, SAUS spokesperson Asive Dlanjwa said:
They submitted the guidelines to the Department for finalisation and approval, to date, the minister and his collective still haven’t published the guidelines.
Dlanjwa further said that those guidelines still hang the question on the previous guidelines and policies on funding that had been proposed last year.
As the registrations are nearing a close at both universities and TVET colleges, the student union has complained that the department doesn’t see it befitting to release the guidelines, giving institutions and student representatives clarity in relation to NSFAS funding for the year.
