National Student Financial Aid Scheme chairman Dr Sizwe Nxasana has rejected a Fees Commission report recommendation that the funding scheme be replaced by income-contingent loans offered by commercial banks.
He was speaking yesterday at his alma mater, Walter Sisulu University’s Mthatha campus, where he donated more than 36000 books – worth over R18-million. Yesterday was the official opening of the newly-built library and study centre.
He said the answer to student funding was not replacing NSFAS with a loan system, but rather changing the NSFAS funding policy to a financial aid structure where poor students received fee-free education to a level that the government, working together with the private sector, could afford.
“In line with the government policies and the policies of the ruling party, students who come from the so-called missing middle should be given some form of financial aid in the form of grants, which work on a sliding scale, with students from the lower end of the working class receiving more grants, which reduce as household income increases,” said Nxasana.
Nxasana said he chose to donate the books to WSU because he believed students of this university deserved to be given the same chance as students from any of the other universities in the country.
“WSU caters for almost 29000 students who come from humble economic backgrounds, but they have the same potential and DNA to be the leaders of the future, to be entrepreneurs and future innovators who can change the world,” said Nxasana.
He said the university faced a challenge of chronic underfunding and inadequate resourcing and financial support, yet WSU continued to offer quality academics.
He also promised that he would continue to support the university, saying WSU did not enjoy the financial support it deserved.
SRC chairman Sphelo Mkhuzangwe said not having enough books was a struggle and that sometimes a large group of people would have to share one book.
“Some of the books are old and outdated and those that are up-to-date with the modern standards, we can only access for an hour, yet through out all of this we are expected to pass.
“Thank you to Dr Nxasana. We should have more of our alumni copy his example,” said Mkhuzangwe. — zipon@dispatch.co.za
NSFAS chair rejects report
He was speaking yesterday at his alma mater, Walter Sisulu University’s Mthatha campus, where he donated more than 36000 books – worth over R18-million. Yesterday was the official opening of the newly-built library and study centre.
He said the answer to student funding was not replacing NSFAS with a loan system, but rather changing the NSFAS funding policy to a financial aid structure where poor students received fee-free education to a level that the government, working together with the private sector, could afford.
“In line with the government policies and the policies of the ruling party, students who come from the so-called missing middle should be given some form of financial aid in the form of grants, which work on a sliding scale, with students from the lower end of the working class receiving more grants, which reduce as household income increases,” said Nxasana.
Nxasana said he chose to donate the books to WSU because he believed students of this university deserved to be given the same chance as students from any of the other universities in the country.
“WSU caters for almost 29000 students who come from humble economic backgrounds, but they have the same potential and DNA to be the leaders of the future, to be entrepreneurs and future innovators who can change the world,” said Nxasana.
He said the university faced a challenge of chronic underfunding and inadequate resourcing and financial support, yet WSU continued to offer quality academics.
He also promised that he would continue to support the university, saying WSU did not enjoy the financial support it deserved.
SRC chairman Sphelo Mkhuzangwe said not having enough books was a struggle and that sometimes a large group of people would have to share one book.
“Some of the books are old and outdated and those that are up-to-date with the modern standards, we can only access for an hour, yet through out all of this we are expected to pass.
“Thank you to Dr Nxasana. We should have more of our alumni copy his example,” said Mkhuzangwe. — zipon@dispatch.co.za
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos