Nzimande orders Unisa to reduce number of first-year students

HIGHER Education Minister Blade Nzimande has accused Unisa of posing a threat to the sustainability of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) by over-enrolling students.

In a strongly-worded letter to the university council, Nzimande issued a directive that the institution enrol 20 000 fewer first-time entering students (FTEN) for 2021.

Instead of its planned enrolment of 57 857 students, Unisa should enrol 37 857 new students, he insisted.

Nzimande's motivation was that Unisa over-enrolled by 20 000 last year, although it was warned in 2018 that it would be penalised for this practice.

“This over-enrolment will have a significant impact on the sustainability of the NSFAS and the higher education sector as a whole,” Nzimande said.

The previous warning issued to the institution made it clear that sanctions would follow in the 2020/21 financial year for failure to adhere to enrolment planning targets, Nzimande said.

“In the light of current fiscal constraints and the impact that over-enrolment has on the whole sector, I am now issuing a notice of intention to issue a directive to Unisa to reduce its 2021 FTENs by 20 000 to accommodate the over-enrolment in 2020 and the impact this will have on NSFAS over the next few years until those students complete their qualifications.

“This reduction would mean an FTEN intake of only 37 857 students in 2021 not 57 857 as planned.”

The EFF lambasted Nzimande yesterday and described his directive as an “unconstitutional and direct attack on all efforts to uplift the young people of our country through education”.

“Failure to source funding for these students is no excuse when the government has committed itself to providing free education,” Vuyani Pambo, the party's spokesperson, said.

Nzimade's office hit back at criticism that the order would exclude thousands from higher education. “The criticism about blocking young people from entering higher education is unfounded, unless empirical evidence is provided to the contrary,” spokesperson Ishmael Mnisi said.

Unisa's council met yesterday and resolved to heed Nzimande's directive to reduce the number of FTENs.

"This resolution is meant to enable the university to effectively support the students, and to guarantee the sectoral financial resources and sustainability of the university and the sector," Unisa spokesperson Martin Ramotshela said. The council also resolved to begin Unisa's academic year in March, in line with another instruction by Nzimande.

Registration, which opened yesterday, would continue until March.