The South African Union of Students (SAUS) says students who were erroneously and wrongfully excluded from receiving National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas) funding will be approved. This is pending the concurrence from Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande.
Nsfas-funded students were required to pass 50% of their modules to continue receiving funding. However, SAUS says students are being unfairly discriminated against despite meeting the pass requirements.
Thousands of students are being wrongfully financially excluded by Nsfas and universities, whilst having met the pass requirement of 50%.
The union's officials met with the Nsfas board and Executive led by the Board Chairperson Ernest Khoza and CEO Andile Nongogo. The stakeholders deliberated on the most urgent and pertinent issues currently facing the students, and the subsequent steps that will be taken to resolve the challenges.
Whilst the union appreciates that some of the challenges cannot be resolved almost immediately, in particular those structural in nature, the union impressed robustly the need to respond with swiftness and decisiveness as it pertains to certain issues, which the union deems critical and urgent.
Nsfas initially proposed that continuing students would need to pass 75% of their modules to continue receiving funding. SAUS explained that the 75% pass requirement was rejected on the basis that conditions for study and living conditions for students weren’t adequate or conducive for them to perform at the expected level.
In 2023, Nsfas revealed that First Time Entering Students must achieve a course credit pass rate of 50% for their previous academic term to continue receiving funding. Continuing university students must as of 2023 achieve a course credit pass rate of 55% for their previous academic term.
The government bursary scheme provides funding to more than one million students and aims to cover all the costs associated with higher education.
Nsfas-funded students' tuition and registration fees are paid and they receive several allowances which include an accommodation allowance, a learning material allowance and a living allowance.
