The Portfolio Committee on Higher Education and Training has called on all stakeholders in the higher education sector to work collectively and ensure that the funding disbursement systems for student funding are improved and developed.

The Chairperson of the committee, Ms Connie September, said the committee was in agreement with Minister Pandor that NSFAS systems and capacity should be expeditiously improved to benefit students, and so that there are no challenges when we start 2019.

“We are concerned about the challenges that had been raised over a period of time with stakeholders resulting from the central applications process and the piloting of the student-centred model,” Ms September said.

“The system is designed to benefit students, and we expect no less. The delays in payments being made to institutions should be dealt with expeditiously, we cannot have students waiting for meal and book allowances for longer than five months,” she said.

The committee got a briefing from NSFAS, the Minister, and Universities SA on challenges regarding the disbursement of funds to poor students, following the introduction of fee-free dispensation for poor students.

Ms September called on NSFAS to kick-start the process of redesigning the student-centred funding model so that all other stakeholders could make an input.

“These challenges are not insurmountable, they just need a collective effort. The committee welcomes the willingness of the stakeholders to collectively support a process to ensure that students are not disadvantaged in furthering the much-needed education,” Ms September said.

The committee will invite information of the colleges and universities that are experiencing challenges with the disbursements of funds to students. “But also we will upon our return to Parliament ask that the department, NSFAS and all other stakeholders account to Parliament on the disbursements of funds to students,” Ms September said and reiterated the call that NSFAS needs to move out of Wynberg to a place where the entity will be more accessible to all.