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Higher education students protesting on campus, over NSFAS funding.
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme NSFAS has announced new funding measures to tackle a major shortfall for the 2025-2026 academic year.
NSFAS and the Higher Education and Training Department have allocated R13.3 billion from their existing budget to 34 000 students with blocked registrations, as well as R15 000 to the second-semester registrations.
Last month, the financial aid scheme announced an over R10 billion shortfall for the 2025-2026 academic year, leaving thousands of qualifying students unable to register.
The funding will also be used to pay student accommodation providers who have been affected by the shortfall.
NSFAS spokesperson Ishmael Mnisi says, “These funds came out of the recoveries we received from loans paid by former students and the money that was paid to institutions for either accommodation or tuition, which was not utilised fully. Institutions had to bring it back to NSFAS and therefore, we had to ask permission to utilize it for 2025.”
Mnisi has also sought to clarify which costs NASFAS will cover. “In terms of book allowances and tuition, we’ll fund them fully. So we’ll cover all the funding and for personal care, accommodation and living allowances, it will only be for two months.”
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