Pandor unlocks books grant

Students to get R5,000 allowance

There is still R154m that needs to be distributed to sBuxreceiving students. sBux is a payment system used by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme to buy books, stationery, laptops, tablets as well as other needs for students using their book vouchers.

Minister of higher education and training Naledi Pandor said the scheme is tracking qualifying students to ensure that the unclaimed funds can be disbursed. Beneficiaries have complained about not being able to buy books and food.

“It is working closely with various institutions to ensure students are identified and outstanding funds disbursed. “Students who have funds due to them are requested to contact the NSFAS call centre urgently,” Pandor said. Pandor appealed to all sponsors and bursary funders supporting students at public institutions to honour their commitments to ensure that students are able to register and receive allowances. She further said no qualifying student who meets the academic criteria should be prevented from registering in 2019 due to outstanding fees. “Students in good academic standing who have debt and are NSFAS qualifying must sign an acknowledgement of debt form and will be allowed to register for 2019,” she said. Pandor said every NSFAS qualifying student registered for 2019 will receive the full R5,000 learning material allowance.

She acknowledged the difficulties that NSFAS beneficiaries at Unisa were encountering.

“I am pleased to announce that qualifying students with full-time course loads at Unisa will receive the R2,750 per annum incidental allowance from this year,” Pandor said.

‘‘ Students are requested to contact the NSFAS call centre