While Deputy Minister for Higher Education Mduduzi Manana was launching a national initiative to raise funds for needy students at the University of Fort Hare (UFH) yesterday, hundreds of Fundza Lushaka beneficiaries protested over bursary allocations.
Manana – who had to rush to catch a flight – was whisked away after his brief interview with the media.
He was at the university for the launch of a National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) initiative in partnership with Vodacom Foundation and SABC Foundation.
Speaking to the media, Manana said the initiative would lead to citizens contributing towards funding poor students.
“Government cannot do this alone. Education is a societal issue.”
Manana said government had always supported free education for the poor.
Earlier in his address, Manana said the cost of higher education should be shared between the state in the form of subsidies and the private sector through investments in research and scholarships.
“The #FeesMustFall movement has raised sharply the systemic funding challenges within the post-school sector.
“Baseline funding to universities has been declining in real terms and this has resulted in pressure on universities to increase their fees to keep up with their mandates to offer quality under- and post-graduate higher education, to undertake research and fulfil their community engagement responsibilities,” he said.
NSFAS chief executive officer Msulwa Daca said the initiative aimed to generate R50-million at the end of the year, which would be added to the financial aid scheme coffers.
The scheme had been allocated R10-billion this financial year.
Due to pressure from students who campaigned for no fee increases this year, government also provided R1.9-billion of the R2.3-billion shortfall created by the no fee increase agreement.
In addition to this, state reprioritised R4.5-billion of state funding in the 2016-17 financial year to be allocated to NSFAS.
As part of the partnership Vodacom has created the 49919 number to allow contributors to send an SMS with the message “NSFAS” at a cost a R30.
The number was accessible to even non-Vodacom subscribers.
UFH student representative council (SRC) student services officer Tandikaya Matokazi said Fundza Lushaka beneficiaries demanded that the university release R82500 allocated for students.
He said only R75000 was made available to students and they were struggling.
Some of the students at a mass meeting yesterday said they were not getting funds for meals.
Addressing students, UFH vice-chancellor Dr Mvuyo Tom said management would try to resolve the matter.