Last week, President Cyril Ramaphosa delivered the 2024 State of The Nation Address (SONA). During his address, the president touched on several matters of national importance.
South African Union of Students Asive Dlanjwa says while recognizing positive aspects of the president's address, they believe there was a missed opportunity to delve deeper into critical issues affecting the education sector. This includes addressing corruption and incompetence, and furthering initiatives to support students were cited as essential steps for progress.
While acknowledging the significant strides made in the higher education sector in the last several years including high throughput rates and increase in funding for poor students, they argue that the president failed to address the challenges undermining progress.
There was a significant increase in funding for poor students indicated in the growth of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) budget which grew from R12 million in 2016 to above R40 billion in 2023.
For example, allegations of corruption and maladministration often undermine NSFAS's impact in funding students from poor and working-class families.
Dlanjwa says Ramaphosa also failed to talk about the measures that aim to guard against corruption at important entities like NSFAS.
I think the President should or could have spoken as to how we strengthen, how we fortify and how we guard against corruption undermining those efforts… I mean billions have been lost in the sector to corruption
Dlanjwa says many of the challenges plaguing NSFAS are solvable, however, it requires considerable government will.
It is not difficult to deal with issues of NSFAS, the corruption is clear for everyone to see, the incompetence is clear for everyone to see…so it's not difficult, the president at his disposal for instance has the SIU etc These institutions must come in to bring about order at NSFAS
In 2022, President Ramaphosa ordered SIU to probe allegations of corruption and maladministration within NSFAS and to recover any resulting financial losses. To date, a total of R773 million has been received by the SIU.
This sum comprises of more than R688 million in unallocated funds and signed acknowledgement of debt agreements totalling R49,7 million.
