NSFAS inundated with applications for 2019

Higher Education and Training Minister Naledi Pandor and NSFAS administrator Dr Randall Carolissen briefed the media in Pretoria on Tuesday.

“The fact of 400 000 does not mean these are all applicants who will receive funding, they are yet to be processed. On average, the scheme received more than 3200 applications a day over the period from September to December, the number reached at least 30 000 a day over the last two weeks,” said Pandor. 

She said 63% of the applicants are women and 36% are men. 

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“We were concerned that only 24% of the applications were from learners who intend to enroll at TVET colleges and over 80% is for university placement. However, I am pleased that with the weekend extension of applications resulted in an increase in applicants who intend to enroll at TVET colleges. We are still battling to get young people to choose TVET as their first choice."

NSFAS spent R22 billion in the 2018 academic year in student funding and is set to spend R32 billion in 2019.

The estimated number of students to be funded next year are at least 400 920 TVET college students and 377 050 University students. 

Pandor said under Carolissen’s leadership, the scheme has been able to clear its funding backlog. 

“Dr Carolissen has appointed a strong team to assist him in the turnaround strategy to resolve outstanding disbursements for the current year resulting in more than R3.6 billion being disbursed to institutions and a further R10 billion has been unlocked at universities and colleges since his appointment. But when I do meet students at institutions there is always one or two students who stand up and say I have not received my funding and I have encouraged institutions to have offices that students can go too so that we can immediately intervene."