'Missing middle’ funding model needs proper planning, says USAF
Universities South Africa (USAf) CEO Phethiwe Matutu says the new R3.8 billion fund to support the missing middle students needs proper planning before distributing the money to students.
Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande recently announced that the National Student Financial Aid Scheme will set up the first phase of the Comprehensive Student Funding model aimed at the country's 'missing middle' students.
These are students whose families earn a total income of R350 000 but not more than R600 000 per annum.
READ: SAUS welcomes new funding model for ‘missing middle’
"It depends on how the scheme will be rolled out, how it will be managed,” says Matutu.
“So the identification of students from low socio-economic background right now, they do with confirmation, so doing that should not be a problem with them, but it needs to be well-planned.
"The fund will include post-graduates and undergraduates. The minister mentioned that 70 percent of the students who will funded will be coming from Science, Engineering, Technology and Mathematics fields.
"He (Nzimande) further mentioned that 50% of the loan will be converted into bursary if they pass with an average of 70%."
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