The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) aims to cover all costs associated with tertiary education, including an accommodation allowance to help students live close to their institutions.
Currently, NSFAS pays accommodation providers directly. However, students are demanding a major policy change, insisting that rental payments be made to them instead.
Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Buti Manamela, stated that such a shift in policy must be approached with caution.
While conducting oversight visits at several TVET colleges, Manamela engaged with stakeholders at Capricorn TVET College. It was here where calls were made for NSFAS allowances to be paid directly to students.
He explained that in the past, NSFAS paid accommodation allowances directly to students. However, some failed to pay their landlords, leading to evictions. He also expressed concern about student safety, warning that direct payments could result in students living in unregulated and overcrowded housing.
The purpose of NSFAS accommodation funding is to ensure that students have a stable, safe, and conducive living environment for their studies.
NSFAS launched an accommodation pilot programme at several South African universities and TVET colleges. This initiative aims to provide safer, high-quality student housing by working directly with accredited private providers through a digital platform.
The pilot programme requires accommodation providers to list their properties in a NSFAS platform to be considered to house students. Once NSFAS is satisfied that the accommodation is conducive to learning, providers would be accredited to house students
Manamela urged students who are unhappy with their residences to report issues to NSFAS so that accreditation can be reviewed.
He said that the current allowance payment structure prioritises student well-being over convenience, ensuring that funding is used for its intended purpose.
I encourage ongoing engagement between NSFAS, colleges, and SRCs to find a practical solution that safeguards student interests without compromising financial accountability.
Manamela also reaffirmed the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) and NSFAS’s commitment to addressing financial aid, accommodation, infrastructure, and curriculum challenges in TVET colleges. "We must ensure that TVET institutions are not only centres of learning but also hubs of innovation and industry-aligned skills development," said Manamela.
He assured students that efforts will be made to ensure NSFAS allowances are paid on time.
