NSFAS receives R373.3m claims

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has received claims amounting to R373.3 million for 17,580 students, says Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande.

The Minister was giving a progress update on the implementation of the R4.5 billion that government committed for financial assistance to poor students.

He reiterated that access to higher education and training cannot be determined by student’s socio economic conditions but by the capacity to excel in studies.

“Institutions are experiencing difficulties with locating students that are on the historic debt list as some of the students had managed to source funding elsewhere, prior to the government’s announcement.

“Thus, it is envisaged that a large amount from the historic debt allocation will be made available to support unfunded first year students. A further R68.5 million for 1,269 registered continuing students who were on the historic debt list and who qualified academically for continuing funding has been claimed by universities,” said Minister Nzimande.

The deadline for institutions to submit claims to NSFAS was 31 August 2016.

The Minister said he trusts that the amounts claimed by institutions will improve significantly.