Students’ Debts on the Table

By: Zilungile Mkhize

Minister of Higher Education, Blade Nzimande says the department is working with the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and institutions to ensure a speedy resolution of the processing of historic debts claims at universities.

Several tertiary institutions around the country have been bombarded by protesting students calling for the cancellation of their old debts.

Nzimande says there has been significant growth in funding allocated to NSFAS to support qualifying students.

NASFAS allocation went up from R12.3-billion in the 2017/2018 financial year to R43-billion this year.

He had been speaking at the 8th National Elective Conference of the South African Union of Students held at the University of Venda in Limpopo.

Nzimande’s comment follows a string of protests that have seen a number of institutions closing their doors for weeks on end, with students saying they have been barred from registering for the current academic year because of the debt they carry.

He says they are working around the clock to find a solution to the debt matter.