On Tuesday, Minister of Higher Education Buti Manamela held his first media briefing on the state of post-school education, outlining the department’s vision for the sector and emphasizing that stabilizing the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is a top priority in its education reform plan.
Manamela said he has “asked the CEO and the chairperson of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme to convene an urgent briefing and brief the nation, and in particular students, on the state of NSFAS and some of the challenges they’ve been confronted with.” He added that, “to support their work, we have already started engagement with Treasury.” This, he explained, is aimed at “filling some of the gaps that exist in terms of student funding.”
Manamela says a task team will overhaul the post-school education system and fix NSFAS issues to improve access, accountability, and public trust.
Manamela set the stage for what’s ahead, saying, “Early in September, we will hold an extensive briefing that details our plans as they relate to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, but also in terms of the bigger question as to how we are going to prepare ourselves given some of the challenges that we have at NSFAS.”
He acknowledged that the scheme is not without problems, noting, “There’s no denying that there’s been fundamental challenges at NSFAS.”
At the same time, he stressed the need to recognize progress, adding, “What we shouldn’t also deny is the fact that 800,000 students, as we speak, have received their allowances.”
