Bay SRC finds funding solutions

Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University’s student council has secured R9.8-million to help students with state bursary funding problems.

The student representative council (SRC) has arranged with NMMU management (Manco) and the financial aid office that over the next two months R4.8-million will be used to clear student debt, R1.8-million to fund final year students and R3.2-million to fund Bachelor of Technology (Btech) students.

The SRC is led by the Democratic Alliance Students Organisation (Daso).

SRC president Hlomela Bacwa said yesterday that the money has already assisted more than 300 students to clear their debt and they hoped to help at least 1000 more. Bacwa said the state needed to assist further to ensure that National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funding was in line with the growing number of students in need.

“The government can afford to accommodate these students if it gets its priorities straight.”

Fourth-year pharmacy student Ntobeko Mqilingwa said his sister Lebone, a BTech student, had waited since the beginning of the year to receive funds from NSFAS before she could register.

“I came here today to the office to ask for assistance and find out what is going on.”

Mqilingwa said that his sister’s name was on the initial list of students receiving funds but when she went to register it no longer appeared.

According to Bacwa, the issue of not being able to register was tabled with Manco and as a result the registration deadline was extended. However, a growing concern is that students waiting for funding before they can register have already missed nearly five weeks of lectures.

The programme co-ordinator for the BA degree in media, communications and culture, Janelle Vermaak, said this was a great injustice for students who had been accepted at NMMU but were unable to attend class until the funds became available.

“Students with no opportunity to study are the ones that suffer and that is not right,” said Vermaak.

NSFAS funding includes meal allocation funds and book allowances, without which the learning process is seriously hampered.

Bacwa says the SRC is taking initiatives to assist students in need by implementing feeding schemes as well as the Teach Another programme.

Daso has proposed that academic staff use their consultation times to assist students who have fallen behind to help bring them up to speed.

Vermaak says her job is to educate.

“I don’t mind assisting when and where possible, even if it includes one or two more classes.”

NMMU spokeswoman Roslyn Baatjies said the university was working with the SRC to assist with students in need.

“NMMU is working hard through various structures and channels to ensure that deserving students are not denied the opportunity of studying here.” — koend@timesmedia.co.za