In order for South Africa to advance as a country, there is a need to create educated citizens who can advance in the job sector. However, for some students getting there is a challenge. South Africa's youth unemployment rate is currently standing at 53.18%. As reported by Mail & Guardian, "South Africa’s “missing middle” constitutes 40% of these youth".
Students who belong to the missing middle find it difficult to acquire funding for their studies. The missing middle are those too poor to afford university themselves but also not poor enough to qualify for government funding. Dr Randall Carolissen, NSFAS Administrator, has said that missing middle students historic debt amounts to R9 billion which leads them to be financially excluded. He said, "South Africa runs the risk of a bipolar education system." This would mean only the rich and very poor can go to university.
Missing middle students are not eligible for NSFAS funding which requires students to have an annual household income of R350,000 or less. These students could come from large families where they cannot afford to pay for tertiary education or the student could have been made responsible to fund their own studies.
Students do have the option of student loans but this would just see debt being incurred and with interest and some repayment terms being difficult to accommodate, this could become a bigger problem for missing middle students in the future.
Funding tertiary education comes to a great total of expenses. With tuition fees, books and sometimes accommodation, fees can come to ridiculous totals. Tuition fees are now estimated to average between R30,000 and R60,000 a year and accommodation could come to an estimated average of R20,000-R60,000 a year. This, along with paying for resources and food comes to an even greater total.
This issue has now become a national conversation with government hearing the pleas of students who fall under this category. However, in January, Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology, Blade Nzimande said, "Unfortunately, public funds for the university system are constrained and there is no possibility that debts of students who are not NSFAS-qualifying can be eradicated by government. A longer-term solution lies in improved funding opportunities for 'missing middle' students, and working with the private sector".
Some universities do offer Gap funding which is available to students who were not able to qualify for funding from NSFAS. Students are eligible if the annual household income is less that R600,000.
Another option available to missing middle students is that of the Ikusasa Student Financial Aid Programme. Read our article on ISFAP here to find out more.
Missing middle students also have the option of registering with Feenix which uses a crowdfunding system. Read our article on Feenix here to find out more.
Student Representative Councils, Universities, non-governmental institutions and businesses need to step in to create solutions for missing middle students and are being encouraged to do so by Government as well.
