Minister promises to address student issues

HIGHER Education Minister Naledi Pandor has promised a public statement on concerns raised by students.

Pandor was part of the delegation briefing Parliament’s portfolio committee on higher education and training yesterday. She said that after meeting with student unions and student representative council members on Saturday, she would issue a public statement addressing their concerns tomorrow.

The committee was briefed by the Department of Higher Education and Training, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and student unions.

During the briefing, the SA Union of Students (SAUS) tabled the students’ demands and challenges. SAUS president Misheck Mugabe said one of their main challenges was the accumulation of student debt and the financial exclusion of students from this year’s registration at universities. Mugabe said another crisis faced by students was the issue of accommodation, student transport services and the collapse of campus health services.

“Students are also facing the problem of NSFAS appeals, confusion on the allowances and historic debts,” Mugabe said.

Diane Parker, the deputy director-general for universities at the Department of Higher Education, said they made an agreement across the system that all NSFAS qualifying students in “good academic” standing could register provided they sign an acknowledgement of debt form.

Parker said due diligence on debt owed before 2018 registration was complete and quantified. “Process is then to be finalised by March this year,” she said.

Parker said debt accrued during 2018 would be quantified once this year’s registration period was complete.

NSFAS administrator Randall Carolissen said NSFAS had received 546 446 applications for this year, including TVET walk-ins. He said that out of the received applications, 442380 were successful, 37546 were still under review and 66 573 were rejected.

Carolissen said part of their brief was to advise Pandor. “The research and policy unit will be strengthened by three post-doctoral positions to ensure evidence-based decision making internally and informed advice on policy developments for the education minister,” he said.

He said they had already engaged several times with student leadership on numerous issues affecting students on campuses. |