The education department is investigating why contracts of 54 Fort Hare bursary holders were altered, changes that may cause some of the students to drop out.The 54 are all students who were enticed with a fully funded government bursary on condition they registered for teaching in 2012.
They obliged, and all their tuition fees, accommodation fees and catering was paid for. That was until the university received a memorandum from the education department two years later, informing the bursary office that the payment would be capped at R60 000.
As a result, the beneficiaries now owe the institution thousands of rands in outstanding fees.
In the letter, education programme manager for bursaries Dunyiswa Ncanywa writes: “The bursary will be capped at R60000 and we will only be able to assist those students who have passed clean out and have been promoted to progress to the next year.”
Last year, Zibele Zenzile’s outstanding fees rocketed to R36000. This year, Zenzile could not even receive his academic results to help apply for a job. The institution told him to first settle the outstanding debt.
Beneficiary Thobile Jika decided to use private accommodation at his own cost instead of student residence to stay within the R60000 budget.
In response to his decision, the department withdrew his meal allowance.
“I felt like the department was punishing me for having chosen to stay outside the residence hence I took my case to the Human Rights Commission,” Jika said.
Their plight comes in the same year the state committed to assist needy students. These included National Financial Aid scheme beneficiaries who were all allowed to register this year without paying registration fees.
The provincial government also set aside R6-million to assist students from Eastern Cape universities who were not NSFAS beneficiaries but could not afford to pay their debt and registration fee.
But bursary holders like Zenzile and Jika were not accommodated in this arrangement by virtue of being “fully” funded.
Ludwe Nyelenzi, a third-year Fort Hare student who is also part of this group, said they are concerned about how the bursary was being managed, as the academic progress of beneficiaries was not being monitored.
Education spokesman Mali Mtima said the department would find out why the terms and conditions of the bursary had been altered to the disadvantage of the students.
“We were not aware of this. This will have far-reaching implications for these beneficiaries.” — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
Students left short after bursary changes
The 54 are all students who were enticed with a fully funded government bursary on condition they registered for teaching in 2012.
They obliged, and all their tuition fees, accommodation fees and catering was paid for. That was until the university received a memorandum from the education department two years later, informing the bursary office that the payment would be capped at R60 000.
As a result, the beneficiaries now owe the institution thousands of rands in outstanding fees.
In the letter, education programme manager for bursaries Dunyiswa Ncanywa writes: “The bursary will be capped at R60000 and we will only be able to assist those students who have passed clean out and have been promoted to progress to the next year.”
Last year, Zibele Zenzile’s outstanding fees rocketed to R36000. This year, Zenzile could not even receive his academic results to help apply for a job. The institution told him to first settle the outstanding debt.
Beneficiary Thobile Jika decided to use private accommodation at his own cost instead of student residence to stay within the R60000 budget.
In response to his decision, the department withdrew his meal allowance.
“I felt like the department was punishing me for having chosen to stay outside the residence hence I took my case to the Human Rights Commission,” Jika said.
Their plight comes in the same year the state committed to assist needy students. These included National Financial Aid scheme beneficiaries who were all allowed to register this year without paying registration fees.
The provincial government also set aside R6-million to assist students from Eastern Cape universities who were not NSFAS beneficiaries but could not afford to pay their debt and registration fee.
But bursary holders like Zenzile and Jika were not accommodated in this arrangement by virtue of being “fully” funded.
Ludwe Nyelenzi, a third-year Fort Hare student who is also part of this group, said they are concerned about how the bursary was being managed, as the academic progress of beneficiaries was not being monitored.
Education spokesman Mali Mtima said the department would find out why the terms and conditions of the bursary had been altered to the disadvantage of the students.
“We were not aware of this. This will have far-reaching implications for these beneficiaries.” — lulamilef@dispatch.co.za
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