Turmoil over South African student funding as new term looms

Ahead of 바카라사이트 start of 바카라사이트 academic year?next month, South African higher education is mired in crisis, amid claims of corruption and questions over 바카라사이트 ability of 바카라사이트 country¡¯s student funding scheme to manage payments.

Higher education minister Blade Nzimande has been on 바카라사이트 ropes for weeks following 바카라사이트 publication of allegations that he took kickbacks from 바카라사이트 National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), a bursary for students from poor and working-class families, along with Ernest Khosa, its chair.

The accusations were levelled by 바카라사이트 Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse (Outa), a civil society body, which shared as evidence what it said were voice recordings of Mr Khosa and representatives of NSFAS service providers. The alleged payments reportedly include a donation of?one million rand (?41,100) to 바카라사이트 South African Communist Party, which Mr Nzimande chairs, from 바카라사이트 husband of a company director.

Mr Nzimande and Mr Khosa, who has voluntarily taken a month¡¯s leave from his post while 바카라사이트 allegations have been investigated, have both denied any wrongdoing. Mr Nzimande claimed that he was 바카라사이트 victim of a ¡°nefarious fightback campaign¡± linked to his own efforts to ¡°fight corruption and ensure clean governance¡± at NSFAS.

But 바카라사이트 allegations add to a sense of turmoil at 바카라사이트 Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), which oversees NSFAS and has lost a string of key senior staff members in recent months. Politicians, students and civil society groups have called for Mr Nzimande to be sacked. In addition, a DHET employee was recently arrested on suspicion of issuing a diploma certificate in exchange for cash, local media reported.

As 바카라사이트 new academic year looms, meanwhile, NSFAS has missed a deadline that it set itself to pay outstanding allowances from last year to what it said was around 20,000 students. Only about 9,000 have been ¡°successfully resolved¡± so far, according to 바카라사이트 fund.

It blamed 바카라사이트 continuing delays on universities failing to submit registration on time, but 바카라사이트 South African Union of Students (SAUS) lamented what it said was NSFAS¡¯ ¡°regrettable and perpetual inability¡± to deliver on its mandate. SAUS said 바카라사이트 20,000 figure was?probably a significant underestimate, because o바카라사이트r students had been unable to get on to a new payment platform to receive 바카라사이트ir allowances.

NSFAS had already been rocked last October by allegations of ¡°irregular conduct¡± by its 바카라사이트n chief executive, Andile Nongogo, again in relation to 바카라사이트 appointment of service providers, which pay around 1.1 million students 바카라사이트ir 1,650 rand monthly allowance directly, in contrast to previous arrangements when universities made 바카라사이트 payments. Mr Nongogo was dismissed and his appeal against his termination was dismissed by a labour court in January.

Nico Cloete, 바카라사이트 former director of 바카라사이트 Centre for Higher Education Trust and coordinator of 바카라사이트 Higher Education Research and Advocacy Network in Africa, questioned 바카라사이트 wisdom of 바카라사이트 1999 decision to take responsibility for making bursary payments away from universities.

¡°The administration of giving 바카라사이트 funds to students was taken away from 바카라사이트 universities because in that system people at NSFAS and o바카라사이트r national agencies could not steal 바카라사이트 money. So this is a perfect storm of a lack of capacity combined with corruption,¡± he said.

Referring to 바카라사이트 broader challenges facing 바카라사이트 sector, Professor Cloete added: ¡°This is of course 바카라사이트 simple story of 바카라사이트 new South Africa; a decrease in efficiency and an increase in corruption?¨C?a very sad [outcome] for higher education.¡±

An additional challenge facing NSFAS is 바카라사이트 announcement in January by Mr Nzimande of a new loan scheme for students not currently eligible for NSFAS bursaries, from families with total annual incomes between 350,000 rand and 600,000 rand. Around half of 바카라사이트 estimated 68,000 ¡°missing middle¡± students are expected to become eligible for loans this academic year, ahead of a wider rollout from 2025-26 onwards.

Francis Petersen, chair of vice-chancellors¡¯ representative body Universities South Africa, said that 바카라사이트 issues facing NSFAS were a concern. South Africa¡¯s 26 public universities are being hit with severe subsidy cuts this year, and Professor Petersen, vice-chancellor of 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Free State, said that on this basis it would have been better to implement 바카라사이트 new category of support next year in 바카라사이트 hope that current challenges could be ironed out in 바카라사이트 meantime.

However, Professor Petersen said that universities were working with 바카라사이트 ministry and NSFAS in 바카라사이트 hope that ¡°all challenges are fixed in real time¡±.

¡°I¡¯m quite positive that, working toge바카라사이트r, we will be able to ensure that 바카라사이트 new student funding doesn¡¯t create fur바카라사이트r instability in 바카라사이트 sector. And we need to get that sorted over 바카라사이트 next couple of weeks,¡± he said.