The Congress of South African Trade Unions (COSATU) is extremely concerned about the damaging ramifications caused by the instability at the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). The state institution’s governance woes are seemingly spilling over to administrative processes, in turn, affecting thousands of students.
Last week, a ruling by the Pretoria High Court reinstated the dissolved NSFAS Board and declared the appointment of Professor Hlengani Mathebula as Administrator irrational. It was a decision that went against the Minister of Higher Education Buti Manamela’s wishes to have the board replaced by an administrator.
Appointing administrators at the scheme has proved to have undesirable results, worsening the state of governance and administration. Since 2018, it’s been administrator after another; and as history has taught the scheme, the now suspended Professor Hlengani Mathebula faces allegations of wasteful expenditure which include the appointment of four technical advisors at a cost of R10 million per year.
The cost of the instability at NSFAS is felt mostly by the thousands of students reliant on financial assistance. Media reports about technical impediments ranging from billions in unpaid tuition fees to delayed Personal Care Allowance payments are becoming too frequent which spells a widespread phenomenon at the centre of the broader post-school education and training (PSET) sector. Of late, students have expressed immense frustration over the scheme’s vetting process, an investigation drive aimed at eliminating potential fraud by verifying student registration, enrollment, accommodations, academic eligibility and academic results.
Albeit a reasonable process, it has left scores of students unable to register for the following academic year of their tertiary studies due to the elongated time allocations and other factors. Over 4000 thousand students are waiting for conclusions on their cases whilst the public entity claims to have processed 2,361 cases. Distance-learning students are not exempt from these delays.
Poor governance and weak administration at NSFAS have been continuing for far too long. Systematic failures, technical and leadership challenges are now synonymous with the institution, which is an unfortunate shame for the numbers of beneficiaries whose futures are dependent on its status and ability to fulfil its mandate.
The Department of Higher Education and Training needs to act responsibly to protect NSFAS. The department has no luxury to fold its arms while the defects at the public entity seep into basic operations. Saving the scheme is critical. It is an important tool necessary in addressing inequalities and in providing access to education to millions.
Issued by COSATU
Nonzuzo Dlamini (Communication Officer)
Mobile: 066 194 3619
Email: nonzuzo@cosatu.org.za