Deputy Minister urges NSFAS to fix late payments at TVET Colleges

Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Mimmy Gondwe has called on the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) to get its act together. This is after students complained about late payments at TVET colleges.

The capturing of students’ information was also mentioned as a challenge at the colleges. These issues were highlighted during Gondwe’s visit to the Goldfields TVET college in Welkom.

The visit by the Deputy Minister forms part of the department’s oversight and monitoring role to assess how it can assist institutions.

Dr Gondwe says part of the meeting follows recurring challenges that beset the post-school education and training sector.

“What came across very sharply during the visit was the issues around NSFAS. NSFAS needs to get its act together to ensure that students’ allowances are paid on time and they are there are no delays. Because those delays pose serious impediments for learners … to even concentrate. Students need money to eat and to buy hygiene products and the like and just to have a sense of well-being and dignity.”

Gondwe also calls on institutions not to withhold students’ results as this delays job placements.

“Another issue that came across was the issue of pending results. We need to assist, to ensure that results are released so that learners can go out and those who need to find jobs can find jobs. Another thing that came up was historic debt and what we are going to do about it. The college did indicate that they have million rand in historic debt that it’s unable to write it off,” adds Dr Gondwe.

Goldfield TVET College SRC president Princess Thoabala says the lack of communication between NSFAS and students is a major hindrance.

“Some of the challenges is that NSFAS is not strictly forward [honest] with us. To tell us about the issues they might be facing in their offices so that we can talk to our students and have patience. So it’s always the frustration that comes from NSFAS. They do not communicate properly. Their emails and telephones never go through. They never talk to us or respond to our emails,” adds Thoabala.

Gondwe also visited the Central University of Technology’s Welkom campus as part of her oversight.

Institutions in the North West and the Western Cape are also on the itinerary.