2023-w2718 - 17 October 2023

Chantel King to ask the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation

(1)In light of the fact that the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) direct payment system was scheduled to be operational from July 2023, (a) on what date was each university and technical, vocational education and training (TVET) college informed to get onboard, (b) what total number of universities and TVET colleges were able to onboard and (c) what total number of students have been on board by 30 July 2023; (2) what challenges have been experienced by students after getting on boarding on the NSFAS direct payment system; (3) what total number of NSFAS beneficiaries at (a) universities and (b) TVET colleges (i) passed, (ii) failed and (iii) dropped out in 2022?

Reply from the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation on 17 Oct 2023

UNIVERSITY

1)

a) Rule 7.3.2 of the 2023 NSFAS ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA AND CONDITIONS FOR FINANCIAL AID was shared with all the 26 Universities in December 2022, it stated that NSFAS will make allowance for a minimum of 3 months’ notice to institutions where it intends to take over full payment of allowances.

Subsequently, a Notice was issued by the NSFAS on 03 March 2023, ...

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2023-w2639 - 11 October 2023

Mandla Shikwambana to ask the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation

What (a) recent steps has he taken to salvage tensions between students and university management in institutions of higher learning over the delayed and nonpayment of National Student Financial Aid Scheme allowances to students, (b) reasons lie behind the defunding of students, (c) is the total number of students who have been defunded since 1 January 2023 and (d) are the reasons that the service provider charges students?

Reply from the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation on 11 Oct 2023

(a) NSFAS delegated two teams led by senior officials to visit a sample of 10 universities and 20 TVET Colleges over a ten-day period from 11 September to 22 September with the objective of engaging students and institutions on the challenges they are confronting. NSFAS also established continuous engagements with student leaders in areas where issues persist.

(b) The reasons for withdrawing funding from ...

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2023-w2837 - 04 October 2023

Mathew John Cuthbert to ask the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation

What amount of (a) historical student debt is currently stated in the financial accounts of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), excluding that which has been proscribed or written off, (b) the specified debt has been settled with NSFAS and (c) the debt has been written off?

Reply from the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation on 4 Oct 2023

a) The historical student loan book value:

As at year ended 31 March 2022, the nominal value of the student loan book was R41.0bn (2021: R40.3bn). The net/carrying value of the student loan book, after considering the adjustments in respect of the actuarial valuation, is R5.1bn (2021: R6.4bn).

b) Debt that has been settled:

During the year ended 31 March 2022 the entity recovered ...

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2023-w2838 - 04 October 2023

Mathew John Cuthbert to ask the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation

What (a) number of students who are funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme fall into the (i) R0 - 180 000, (ii) R180 001 - R350 000 and (iii) R350 001 - R600 0000 income bands and (b) proportion of funds are cumulatively allocated to each of the specified bands?

Reply from the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation on 4 Oct 2023

NSFAS currently does not categorize as specified above. Financial assessment is based on household income (threshold) of R350 000 for non-disability and 600 000 for disability applicants.

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2023-w2609 - 04 October 2023

Rosina Ntshetsana Komane to ask the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation

(a) As at the latest specified date, to which institutions did the National Student Financial Aid Scheme deploy teams in order to assist students to verify themselves so that they may receive funds that were placed on hold because of incomplete verification, (b)(i) on what date and (ii) for how long are the specified teams on campuses to assist students and (c) what number of students have been assisted as at the latest specified date in resolving their issue?

Reply from the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation on 4 Oct 2023

TVET COLLEGES

a) The direct payment process was introduced at TVET colleges in the last quarter of 2022, with the first payment made in November 2022, although engagements had started in September 2022. The 2023 academic year saw a continuation of this allowance payment method across all 50 TVET colleges.

To fully support the students with this new direct payments process, during the January ...

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2023-w2953 - 02 October 2023

Mandla Shikwambana to ask the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation

What (a) steps have sector education and training authorities taken to ensure the successful implementation of skills development outcomes over the past three financial years, (b) total number of (i) programmes have been implemented in the provinces and (ii) beneficiaries have (aa) been trained and (bb) completed the programmes and (c) impact has the programmes brought about in the lives of the beneficiaries in terms of (i) job creation, (ii) the expansion of businesses and (iii) the establishment of new enterprises?

Reply from the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation on 2 Oct 2023

a) The core responsibility of a Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) is to develop a Sector Skills Plan (SSP) as mandated by the Skills Development Act (Act No. 97 of 1998). SETAs facilitate the delivery of sector-specific skills interventions that enable the achievement of the outcomes of the National Skills Development Plan (NSDP) and other applicable policy instruments. Research is critical in this ...

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2023-w3101 - 02 October 2023

Wynand Johannes Boshoff to ask the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation

(1)What (a) progress has been made on the fencing of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) core area, (b) conditions were agreed to with SANParks to manage the area and (c) date was set for SANParks to commence with the management of the specified area; (2) whether any community members and/or farmers have received access to the internet connection of the SKA as was indicated to the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Innovation during the visit to the SKA; if not, why not; if so what are the relevant details?

Reply from the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation on 2 Oct 2023

(1)

a) The project to erect a fence surrounding the land declared as the Meerkat National Park, which includes the core site of the SKA, is managed by the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO). A tender for the construction of the fence was published on 13 June 2023 and closed on 11 August 2023. SARAO is currently evaluating the submissions received. The project ...

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2023-w2583 - 02 October 2023

Walter Tebogo Letsie to ask the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation

In light of the fact that the National Student Financial Aid Scheme has been on the news recently for a number of reasons, one of them being the inability of the recently appointed Fintech companies to distribute allowances to students and allegations of some of them having not met the minimum requirements to be appointed, what has he and his department done to (a) get to the bottom of the allegations and (b) ensure students are not affected negatively from now onwards?

Reply from the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation on 2 Oct 2023

a) The Department has studied the allegations against Fintech companies and regards them as very serious. The Department has engaged the NSFAS board on several occasions and is awaiting Werksmans Attorneys’ findings so that any decision taken is guided by verifiable facts and evidence, is lawful, reasonable, and procedurally fair as per legal prescripts derived from our constitution, and related legislation, including the Public ...

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2023-w2703 - 02 October 2023

Chantel King to ask the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation

(1)What total number of beds are available for students at (a) private and (b) public student accommodation providers; (2) what total number of the 2023 National Student Financial Aid Scheme students were evicted due to defunding at private student accommodation; (3) whether he had conducted a survey on the state of student accommodation in the Republic in the past three academic years; if not, why not; if so, (4) whether he will furnish Ms C V King with the report of the survey; if not, why not; if so, what are the relevant details; (5) what are the details of the Draft Multifaceted Student Housing Strategy that has been approved by the Director-General?

Reply from the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation on 2 Oct 2023

  1. The findings of an International Finance Corporation study which was supported by the Department of Higher Education and Training (the Department) are that as of 2020, there were 125 891 beds by public student accommodation providers (TVET Colleges and Universities) and 97 219 beds by private student accommodation providers.
  2. We will need to request this data from the institutions. We will therefore await advice on whether ...
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2023-w2560 - 02 October 2023

Sibongiseni Ngcobo to ask the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation

What measures has his department taken to resolve issues regarding the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, including the problems created by the new payment system, in institutions of higher learning across the Republic?

Reply from the Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation on 2 Oct 2023

The Department met with NSFAS board and requested that they provide a turn-around strategy to the Minister. Furthermore, NSFAS submitted an audit plan to the Minister on 04 September 2023, which the Department will monitor monthly. In addition, the Department has been engaging with the World Bank’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) and NSFAS to ensure further research on the price cap of student accommodation ...

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