SAUS welcomes new funding model for ‘missing middle’
The South African Student Union (SAUS) says the comprehensive student funding model is another step towards ensuring all South Africans have access to tertiary education.
Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande on Sunday announced that the department had created an R3.8 billion fund within the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas) aimed at assisting the country’s 'missing middle' students.
The new Comprehensive Student Funding Model introduces measures to support a wider-ranging category of students, including those currently not supported by the Nsfas bursary and funding policy.
These are students whose families earn a total income of R350 000 but not more than R600 000 per annum.
Addressing the media, Nzimande clarified that the funding is not a bursary but a student loan.
"As the union, we welcome, celebrate and commend the government in the efforts to broaden access to higher learning, particularly for students of the working class, and we believe that this fund is going to do that," said SAUS spokesperson Asive Dlanjwa.
"It's been long in the pipeline. For years, we have advocated for the funding of the missing middle; this is a great stride in ensuring that all South Africans have access to higher learning education. But we must expand it so that all the students under the working class are accommodated.”
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