16 October 2017

MINISTER NZIMANDE URGES STUDENTS TO START APPLYING FOR NSFAS FUNDING EARLY, BEFORE THE NOVEMBER DEADLINE

The Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Blade Nzimande has encouraged learners and students needing financial aid, to complete their applications early. Applications for financial aid in 2018, through the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), opened for learners who wish to study at a public higher education institution or a technical and vocational education and training college, on 1 August 2017. Learners and current students at universities and TVET colleges who were not funded in prior years are urged to complete their applications early and ahead of the 30 November 2017 cut-off date.

This is particularly important for Grade 12 learners, who should not wait until they have finished writing their exams to apply. Minister Nzimande also emphasised the need for students to make sure that their applications were completed timeously and that they contained all required information. The Minister further urged all public college and university students to take advantage of NSFAS application centres, the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) local offices, as well as universities and TVET Colleges Student Support Services Units, who provide drop-off services for applications. “In this regard, it is very important for students, parents and guardians to know that NSFAS will not open another window for new applications after this November 30 cut-off date. Doing so, would delay the process of finalising funding lists for 2018,” he said.

NSFAS does not require exam results for the application process. Therefore, learners are encouraged to apply before their exams start so that they know that their application has been submitted. If applicants go to the NYDA offices to drop off application forms, they must ensure that they receive a reference number for future enquiries regarding their applications. Whilst the application process for funding to NSFAS is open for both online and paper-based forms, students are encouraged to rather make use of the on-line application platform. This is faster and more efficient, and applicants receive their reference number immediately.

As at 9 October 2017, NSFAS had already received 80 494 valid applications. Students are advised that only applications submitted online or via the NYDA, as well as through participating universities and colleges, will be accepted. “For ease of processing applications, we also wish to emphasise the need for students to make sure that their applications include all the requisite supporting documentation. This includes certified copies of their, and their parents’, IDs, or an unabridged birth certificate.” The NSFAS has partnered with the Departments of Home Affairs and Basic Education to ensure a swift and thorough data processing and verification process. This is in order to identify any anomalies against the country’s national population registry and matric examination database. Although not a requirement by NSFAS, applicants are advised to submit both an ID and unabridged birth certificate to speed up the verification process.

It should also be highlighted that the 2017 NSFAS- funded students, that will be progressing to the next academic level in 2018, need not re-apply for funding. However, students who are currently enrolled and were not funded in 2017, or have never received NSFAS funding and whose family circumstances have changed and believe that they now qualify for NSFAS funding, should apply”, the Minister said.

“Moving forward, we encourage all young people to start applying for their smart identification cards in time for the 2019 enrolment period. Smart ID cards will make the processing of applications even more efficient, due to completeness of individual records”, the Minister added.

8 September 2017

DHET CAUTIONS PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS TO BE ON THE ALERT FOR BOGUS INSTITUTIONS

The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) posts an urgent warning to prospective students and parents regarding a fake online purportedly, American university, marketed as The University of the People (UoPeople).

The Department wishes to place on record that the fraudulent university is not registered with the DHET as required by law, and as such does not have the authority to enroll students nor grant degrees. Furthermore, there is no evidence of the illegal university’s accreditation with the United States Department of Education.

According to marketing material intercepted by the DHET, the University of the People was launched in Johannesburg on Saturday 10 September 2017. On its website webmaster@uopeople.edu the bogus institution describes itself as "completely tuition-free”. However, they do require a non-refundable application and examination assessment fee. It also claims to offer an Associate’s degree, a Bachelor’s degree in various fields and degrees in Business Administration, Computer Science and Health Science. The target audience are students who are looking for a higher education to improve their job prospects. The DHET has made several attempts to make contact with the management of the university without success.

In a recent investigations, the DHET has further identified 11 more private colleges as institutions that are operating fraudulently. The following colleges and their programmes have not been accredited by the DHET:

1. Draughting Academy (Cape Town and Johannesburg)

2. Milites Dei Academy (Nelspruit)

3. Vaal Landbou Kollege (Vereeniging)

4. Shepherd Bushiri International University (Pretoria)

5. Professional Technical College (Thohoyandou)

6. Institute of Business Management and Information Technology (East London)

7. BTP (East London)

8. Oxbridge Academy (Stellenbosch)

9. Oval International Computer Education (Durban)

10. Centre for Fine Art and Animation (Cape Town)

11. Digolo University

The Department wishes to reiterate that students should first verify information with the DHET website to ascertain the legitimacy of any institution before enrolling. In doing so, they may avoid falling prey to bogus colleges and universities.

For verification, use the link: www.dhet.gov.za/Resources/Registers

Alternatively, forward queries to:

registrarphei@dhet.gov.za,

registrarfet@dhet.gov.za

and/or

callcentre@dhet.gov.za

27 July 2017

The Department of Higher Education and Training announces the rescheduling of certain Report 190/1 August 2017 TVET College Examination Question Papers

The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) has received evidence to the effect that the question papers for certain subjects currently being written in the Report 190/1 Engineering Studies August 2017 examinations, may have been compromised.

To date the following eight question papers have had to be withdrawn and rescheduled based on reports and evidence:

This action has been effected as a precaution to protect the credibility of the national examinations process and integrity of the qualification. Examinations in all other subjects scheduled for the August 2017 examinations will proceed as indicated on the national examinations timetable.

The Department is required to replace a question paper where evidence is provided ahead of writing the paper that it has been compromised. Failing which, the relevant quality assurance council will not recognise the results of the affected subject.

The Department is working with the HAWKS and has opened a case with the South African Police Services. The Department has requested that these authorities immediately begin investigating the origin and possible causes for the alleged August 2017 examination paper leakages.

The Department regrets having to postpone the writing of these question papers and the inconvenience caused to affected students.

DHET CLARIFIES THE GAP-FUNDING GRANT

The Department of Higher Education and Training has reiterated Government's commitment to funding the 2017 fee adjustments for the poor, working class and missing middle students at universities and TVET colleges. As announced by Minister Blade Nzimande at the end of last year, this is for those whose family incomes are below the R600 000 ceiling.

In this regard, Government's grant assistance for any fee increases, up to 8%, will be allocated to students who come from poor and working class families. For the first time in the history of post-school education and training, the so-called “missing middle”, namely, those families with income levels above the NSFAS-threshold, but who still find post-school education difficult to afford are also assisted. The DHET 8% gap funding grant must not be confused with NSFAS financial support. The gap-funding grant is a direct response by Government to the call for a 0% fee increase for 2017. This grant is directly administered by the DHET in conjunction with universities and TVET colleges.  

Government will pay fee increases capped at 8% for all qualifying registered students with a gross combined family income up to R600 000 per annum, in 2017. This is an earmarked GRANT and not a LOAN and will not have to be REPAID by qualifying students.  The DHET 8% gap-funding grant covers the increases for tuition fees and university or TVET college managed accommodation.

Students from quintile 1, 2 and 3 schools (as determined by the Department of Basic Education), and those who will be funded by NSFAS in 2017, will automatically qualify for the 8% DHET gap-funding grant. Students from families with a gross income of up to R600 000 per annum, “the missing middle students”, who fall outside of these two categories, MUST however apply for the 8% grant at their respective universities.

To qualify for the grant, university students must apply for the 2017 fee adjustment grant through a form obtainable from their institutions.

To recap:

• NSFAS funded students from poor and working class families will not pay any fee increase.

• Students from families with a gross combined income of up to R600 000 per annum, i.e. “missing middle” students, will not pay any fee increase. This means university students from these families will be paying the same fee they paid in 2015 and 2016.

• This grant will benefit more than 75% of university and TVET college students, and in some institutions, more than 90% of students will benefit.

• Students from families with a gross combined income above R600 000 per annum will be expected to pay the fee increase. All students who come from richer families must pay their full fees.

   

In summary this means:

• 0% fee adjustment for poor and working class students;

• 0% fee increase for the “missing middle”; and

• 8% maximum fee increase for students from families with an income above R600 000 per annum.

18 January 2017

Minister calls for dialogue, stresses progress and focus in TVET sector

Minister of Higher Education and Training Blade Nzimande today calls on formations representing students at Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges to engage in discussion with his Department and College administrations and to strengthen and renew efforts to resolve their legitimate issues.

Minister Nzimande again points to the considerable progress made since the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) took over 50 colleges in the sector less than two years ago. “TVET Colleges have been, and remain, on a continual road to improvement since we unified structures and management,” said the Minister. “Nevertheless, we are aware that there is still a way to go until the institutions are at peak performance in terms of delivering on their mandate of empowering young people across the country with the skills and knowledge they require to become useful and active participants in their local economies.

The DHET has been informed by some TVET College principals that some student formations at their institutions intend taking action over a range of grievances once term starts. Minister Nzimande in this context reiterates both the constitutional right of those wishing to protest to do so peacefully, and the equally important right of those who wish to continue teaching and learning to do so unhindered and without intimidation.

 “Bringing the sector into a centrally managed and guided framework was a very important step towards ensuring that we create and sustain real and viable alternatives to a university course for those young people who want to gain a post school skill, but who may either have not achieved a university pass, or who may not have the inclination to pursue a course of academic study,” said Minister Nzimande. “The DHET inherited a very mixed bag, because some of the provinces had done better than others in ensuring that the sector could at one and the same time be expanded to accommodate the many thousands of previously excluded young people, while ensuring that new entrants received the kind of training and support which could ready them with skills the job market is looking for.”

In some places, the Department was still in the process of ensuring that the right procedures are used when processing students, and some institutions need further help to get on track, for example in ensuring that students who qualify also receive their certificates quickly.

 “We are determined not to let this situation go on for longer than is absolutely necessary, and we are working with the college authorities and other relevant institutions such as SITA to rectify any deficiencies,” said Minister Nzimande. “We call on the students representative bodies at the TVET Colleges to engage with us and their administrations as we together ensure continuing improvement.”

The DHET had demonstrated its very significant commitment to growing and improving the sector, among others through substantial infrastructure investment, the Minister said. In addition, funding for TVET students via NSFAS has risen dramatically since the DHET was founded ten years ago.

 “Whereas in 2007, just 12 283 students in TVET Colleges were supported through NSFAS, last year this figure reached 256 904,” said Minister Nzimande. “Government increased the funding available to TVET students in the same timeframe from R 66.7m to over R 2.3bn last year.”

Recently, the Department had announced that three new TVET campuses will come into operation this year, among them

• Thabazimbi Campus at the Waterberg TVET College in Limpopo

• Bambanani Campus at uMfolozi TVET College in KwaZulu-Natal

• Nkandla A Campus at uMfolozi TVET College in KwaZulu-Natal

TVET Colleges will this year make 207 510 places available to new entrants, 142 484 of them for students interested in studying towards a National Diploma in Engineering or Business Studies. Another 65 026 places will also be available across 19 programmes for the National Certificate (Vocational), which provides theory and practical experience in a range of vocational fields.

The National Skills Fund (NSF) will continue to invest in TVET colleges, focusing on funding around 15 000 students each year in programmes linked to scarce and critical skills areas, especially with regards to artisan development. The NSF will also fund significant quality improvements in the TVET college sector, including:

• development of a foundational learning programme to improve student throughput

• creation of centres of specialisation for 13 priority trades across the country in the TVET colleges and

• providing connectivity to campuses across the country through the South African National Research Network.

Minister of Higher Education and Training Dr Blade Nzimande on Opportunities for the Matric Class of 2016 in Post-School Education and Training 

12 January 2017

Ladies and gentlemen, allow me to take this opportunity to congratulate the Class of 2016 who passed their National Senior Certificate (NSC) examinations, and especially those who fared particularly well.

I would also like to encourage those who have not succeeded, either to rewrite their examinations or to pursue other opportunities within the Post-School Education and Training (PSET) system.

It is very pleasing to note that of the 610 178 Grade 12 learners who wrote their Matric examinations:

- 162 374 learners are eligible for admission to bachelor studies;

- 179 619 learners are eligible for admission to diploma studies; and

- 100 486 learners are eligible for admission to higher certificate studies.

The NSC examination is an important milestone in the lives of young people. The Department of Higher Education and Training wants to ensure that all these students are aware of the approximately 505 731 opportunities that are available to them within the PSET system in order to further their studies.

In 2017, the 26 public universities will provide access to about 197 400 new entrants wishing to pursue their studies across all general, technical and professional fields. Included here are the three new universities, Sol Plaatje University (SPU); the University of Mpumalanga (UMP); and the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU). It has been most encouraging to witness the growth of these new universities. They focus on specific skills areas for our economy.

The 2017 university enrolment planning process addresses specific scarce skills areas. These have been identified as critical in order to achieve the goals of the National Development Plan (NDP), the New Growth Path and Industrial Policy Action Plan. These skills areas are in particular in the engineering sciences; animal and human health sciences; natural and physical sciences; and teacher education.

Of the 197 400 new university entrants in 2017, about 63 950 students will be enrolling in scarce fields. These include Engineering, Life and Physical Sciences, Human Health, and Veterinary Sciences programmes.

The mandate of the Department of Higher Education and Training is to develop a skilled and capable workforce that can contribute to an inclusive growth path. Central to achieving this mandate is ensuring student access to, and success in, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges. This is a pathway leading to intermediate and high-level skills. Indeed, TVET colleges play a pivotal role in addressing South Africa’s skills needs. They cater for a wide spectrum and growing numbers of students. They offer flexible and diverse courses ranging from full qualifications to short courses, skills programmes and learnerships.

Let me also say, that while education is a key priority of government, we want to make technical and vocational education and training an apex focus of post-school education and training. We aim to produce employable young people with high quality occupational and vocational education and training skills.

In pursuit of the Department’s mandate to increase access and success in TVET college learning programmes, and to transform TVET colleges into institutions of choice, three new campuses will come into operation during 2017 namely, Thabazimbi Campus of the Waterberg TVET College in Limpopo; Bambanani Campus of uMfolozi TVET College in KwaZulu-Natal; and Nkandla A Campus of uMfolozi TVET College in KwaZulu-Natal.

All those who have completed Grade 12 having achieved the ‘higher certificate pass’ level, can consider studying further at one of the 50 public TVET colleges. In 2017, 207 510 new entrant opportunities will be provided by TVET colleges.

The National Development Plan further requires that by 2030, at least 30 000 qualified artisans must be produced per year.To this end, learners must continue to seek and utilise Sector Education and Training Authority (SETA) or National Skills Fund (NSF) funded artisan learnerships or apprenticeship opportunities. These will enable them to access artisan training in the various fields of Engineering and Services.

Learners who have an inclination to become artisans, such as becoming motor mechanics, plumbers, electricians and hairdressers, can register at the National Artisan Development Support Centre (NADSC). This can be done by going to their website http://nadsc.dhet.gov.za

or calling the NADSC Call Centre on 086 999 0125, or by emailing copies of their qualifications to nadscinfo@dhet.gov.za, or nadscplacements@dhet.gov.za

For more information, they can also approach the Student Support Services at any of the public TVET colleges, or the Khetha Career Development Services of the Department.

It is critical to note that in order to be accepted into an artisan-training programme, learners must have passed Mathematics with a minimum mark of 50% and have achieved a pass in Science. Learners who pass but do not achieve the required achievement level in Mathematics and wish to consider a career as an artisan, may also register for the Generic Trade Preparation Programmes, a bridging course for artisan training at NADSC. NADSC, in consultation with the SETAs, NSF and TVET Colleges, will assist in the facilitation of the placement of these prospective artisan applicants.

Out-of-school youth who wish to enter the world of work, or need to increase their skills capabilities, can also consider the options of learnerships, apprenticeships and skills programmes.

TVET colleges also offer occupationally directed programmes, that are accredited by SETAs, under the auspices of the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations.

SETAs will be providing 100 821 learning programme opportunities in the form of 34 469 learnerships; 17 824 bursaries; 5 819 internships; 26 193 skills programmes; 9 486 work integrated learning, and 7 030 apprenticeship opportunities.?? The National Skills Fund will continue to invest in TVET colleges, funding ±15 000 learners per annum in occupationally directed programmes. These are programmes which are linked to scarce and critical skills areas.

All of this signals progress, but we cannot and should not do it all alone.

That is why we work with industry through the Setas, and through a multitude of partnerships and collaborations so as to ensure that our country opens as many opportunities to young matriculants as possible. We are grateful to all who put effort into this. In 2017, we will continue to work with whoever we can to ensure as many opportunities for as many young people as possible throughout the economy.

We call on business and state-owned enterprises, municipalities and other employers to redouble their efforts. Join hands with us, and ensure that as many young people who are able, are actually afforded an opportunity to gain skills and make a life for themselves.

Ladies and gentlemen, a tremendous amount of progress has been made, particularly with regards to expanding access to the poor through the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). NSFAS has funded over 1.7 million students since 1994. In 2016, NSFAS supported approximately 480 000 poor undergraduate students to access universities and TVET colleges. In 2016, NSFAS also disbursed loans and bursaries totalling R14 billion. In the Medium Term Budget Policy Statement, government announced that it will provide an additional R9 billion for NSFAS over the period ahead. This raises its funding by over 18% to universities over the next three years. The aim of which is to assist the poor and the missing middle students. Most commendably in 2017, NSFAS will be funding 205 000 first time entering and continuing eligible students at universities, and 200 000 students at TVET colleges . It will do so by providing student loans and bursaries totalling R15.2 billion.

You will also have seen a number of interventions that have been announced to assist students who come from poor and working class families. Government will pay the fee increase, capped at 8%, for all qualifying registered students with a gross combined family income up to R600 000 per annum in 2017. This is a grant, which covers the increases for tuition fees and university or college-managed accommodation. It will not have to be repaid by qualifying students. This will benefit more than 75% of university and TVET college students, and in some institutions, more than 90% of students. We have also gone further and made arrangements through NSFAS to pay the registration fees of all NSFAS funded students as an upfront payment to universities and TVET colleges in January each year. Therefore, NSFAS qualifying students will not pay any registration or upfront fees in 2017.

Government has also addressed the issue of historical debt of NSFAS qualifying students. All NSFAS qualifying students who were registered in 2016, and were successful in their studies, but who have accumulated historical student debt with institutions of higher education, will be allowed to register in 2017.

All universities will also develop processes to enable academically successful “missing middle” students, who have outstanding student debt, to register in 2017. Universities have been requested to manage student debt through fair and transparent debt management policies. This is in order to ensure that outstanding student debt is recovered over a reasonable period.

In 2017, the Ikusasa Student Financial Aid Programme model, which is aimed at assisting the “missing middle”, will be piloted at six universities and one TVET college. The pilot will fund the studies of approximately 1 500 students. These will be students studying in a number of general formative degrees, as well as seven professional qualifications and one artisan qualification. The funding will be available for the duration of their studies.

It is also important to note that, in addition to the money that NSFAS has received from the funds voted by Parliament, the NSF makes further annual allocations aimed at funding the full cost of study towards critical skills programmes. These are programmes that are most needed for the growth and development of the economy. NSFAS has been allocated over R718 million for full bursaries for scarce and critical skills for the current year from the NSF. This funding is made available through the financial aid offices at institutions. Students wishing to make use of these bursaries are advised to enrol for critical skills study programmes. These include science, commerce, health sciences and engineering.

The Department is also committed to expanding access for special need students. At TVET colleges for example, government pays 80% of the programme cost (of the student’s choice), with an additional allocation made, depending on the type and severity of the disability. In addition, NSFAS has earmarked R76.6 million in the 2017 academic year to provide financial aid to disabled students in universities.

In order to assist learners to make informed career and study choices, the Department also operates the Khetha multi-channel platform, career development service. This service provides free access to career information, advice and guidance through telephone, SMS, social media, face-to-face consultations and outreaches to schools amongst other initiatives. Over the past 2½ years, almost 51 000 individuals have made use of this service.

Through the Khetha radio programme, the Department also reaches about 3.5 million listeners on 10 SABC African language radio stations, including Afrikaans, on a weekly basis. I want to encourage learners who still need information, advice and guidance on where to go after Grade 12, to connect with one of these services.

The Department is also again, operating the Central Application Clearing House (CACH) this month (January) and next month. The CACH service has been developed to assist learners who are eligible for higher education studies. It targets learners who have applied for admission at an institution of their choice but as yet, following the release of the Grade 12 results, have been unsuccessful in securing a space. The CACH service aims to continually increase the placement ratio of prospective applicants in PSET opportunities. It is also accessible to those learners who did not apply before the closing dates last year and now find that they are eligible for higher education studies. For the 2016 year, a placement ratio of 40% was achieved, of which 53% was in university education.

Learners looking for spaces at PSET institutions can contact the toll free call centre on 0800 356 635, or send an SMS with their name, ID and contact number to 49200 and they will be called back. They can also access the system via the website http://cach.dhet.gov.za

Or, send an email to CACH@dhet.gov.za

The CACH service will verify the learner’s information and forward it to institutions that still have unfilled places. Where places exist and applicants meet the admission requirements, institutions will contact learners to offer them available places.

Finally, the Presidential Commission of Inquiry into the Funding of Higher Education and Training is also set to release its final report in mid-2017. It will make recommendations on the feasibility of implementing fee-free higher education and training in South Africa.

As Minister of Higher Education and Training, I am convinced that all these initiatives and campaigns create awareness and provide useful information to our youth about career and funding options for post-school education and training. We must again underline that there are national processes in place designed to identify a long-term solution to the question of university funding and fees. The Presidential Commission will report this year, and we urge all stakeholders to co-operate with this important process and give space to the finalisation of this matter.

As the facts and figures I have just mentioned show clearly, government has already done an enormous amount to meet the demands of those raising genuine issues, including a fee rise moratorium now in its second year. At the same time, however, as legitimate as student demands for accessible quality education may be, they have also shown a darker side. A variety of vested financial and political interests have also entered the scene, essentially, hoping to reap benefits from these demands. For instance, we have noted with deep concern how individuals with vested political and ideological interests have managed to turn what was essentially a peaceful student led, intersectional struggle into one characterised by violence and anarchy. It is also becoming more evident that some business interests are looking on with glee at what they hope will signal the collapse of the public higher education system. The expectation is that the current crisis will drive quality and confidence in the public system to the point where scores will seek refuge in more stable and reliable private institutions. The casualties will be the poor and working class students, whilst students from the middle and upper class families will opt for private provision or studying abroad. Experienced academics frustrated with the chaos in the public sector will also be attracted abroad or to a more stable and better paying private sector.

This means that those student leaders and organisations genuinely concerned about access and affordability should maintain high levels of vigilance. There are opportunists in their midst, ready to hijack their noble cause. On our part as government, we recommit ourselves to a genuine and honest process of engagement with key players. We are also pleased with the role played by progressive parent groupings, and the clergy, in a common endeavour to resolve the current crisis. The active involvement of broader society can only bode well for higher education, moving forward.

South Africa needs to focus on diverse options, and not a disproportionate focus on universities, to ensure that we produce skilled youth at different levels for our country’s economic growth.

I thank you.

OPPORTUNITIES TO ACCESS UNIVERSITY AND TVET STUDIES STILL POSSIBLE FOR MATRICS

9 January 2017

The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) calls on the 2016 successful Grade 12 students looking for a place to study in the post-school education and training (PSET) system in 2017, especially those who already applied in 2016 but were unsuccessful in securing placement at institutions or programmes of their choice, to immediately register with the Central Application Clearing House (CACH).

CACH, which was established in 2012, is a government online service designed to assist students who want to access university, college and skills development opportunities in the Post School Education and Training (PSET) system. The services are particularly useful to applicants who applied for admission to a university or college in time, but have not been offered a place, or their programme of choice. It can also be useful for prospective students who achieved better results than expected and who now wish to access a different course, or university, or TVET college.

While the CACH service does not guarantee placement at an institution, the system has however been proven to significantly increase prospective students chances. It does so by making data readily available to all possible institutions in the PSET system. Applicants are matched to their examination results as supplied by the Department of Basic Education and the Independent Examination Board (IEB).  The information is then shared with universities, TVET colleges, SETAs as well as some registered private colleges. These institutions will then select potential students from the list and make direct contact with them.

The CACH service is not confined to offering guidance on university and college studies. It also provides information on all PSET opportunities. Including skills development opportunities and artisan programmes.

For students unclear about which career to follow, CACH will redirect students to free career advice and information through DHET’s Khetha Career Development Service website (www.careerhelp.org.za). The service is designed to assist young people with making the right choices, and to proactively decide on their future.

In 2016, CACH successfully placed 40% of the registered 18 747 applicants. This year CACH 2017 opened on 3 January and will be providing assistance to prospective students until the end of February. 

CACH is the first phase of the DHET’s broader development project of streamlining applications to the PSET system. The next phase is the central applications service (CAS). Once fully operational, it will provide a single point of information and access to the PSET system.

The multifunctional “one-stop-shop” will provide access to career development services; applications for learning opportunities in universities and colleges; work-based skills development, as well as applications for accommodation and financial aid.

One of the standout features of the CAS will be to offer prospective students an opportunity to apply for admission to up to ten programmes simultaneously through one standardised process, with a single affordable fee.

Registration can be done on CACH’s new look website: http://cach.dhet.gov.za. Alternatively, prospective students can call the toll-free call centre number on 0860 35 66 35 from 8:00 to 20:00. CACH is also contactable via standard SMS (supply name and ID) to 49200 or by email: CACH@dhet.gov.za.

Students who still wish to access financial aid for the 2017 academic year, are urged to apply through the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) website. Those wishing to study at TVET colleges can apply for financial aid between 09 January 2017 and 14 February 2017. Applications for financial assistance for university programmes are open between 09 January 2017 and 20 January 2017.

TVET students get direct access to National Student Financial Aid Scheme 

The online bursary application for Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College students has kicked-off for the 2017 academic year as part of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET)’s new central application model.

Prospective students who want to further their studies at TVET Colleges in the new-year will no longer be required to submit their bursary applications manually to Colleges. Instead, all applications will be submitted electronically and processed directly by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).

The new system being implemented is designed to improve on application quality, data time capturing, feedback, and response times to inquiries as well as updating of student personal details.

Previously, students submitted their bursary applications manually to Colleges for enrolment; and this has caused inordinate processing delays with adverse effect on students’ access to financial assistance.

In 2014 NSFAS introduced a new student centred application system in order to improve on the administration of the bursary scheme and also ensured adherence to bursary applications rules and guidelines.  

The Department is appealing to Grade 12 learners and those who intend to enrol at Colleges to lodge their online applications with NSFAS for the 2017 academic year before closing date on 30 November 2016.

Direct online applications can be submitted by visiting the NSFAS website on www.nsfas.org.za. Alternatively, students who do not have access to internet are advised to apply at the nearest TVET College or the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA) offices.

The new application system does not require existing NSFAS beneficiaries to reapply afresh. Instead data of existing students already funded by NSFAS would be managed through automatic migration of data from institutions to the scheme’s central database.

Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr BE Nzimande's Statement on Government's 2017 Fee Support to Students who are from Poor, Working and Middle Class Families

Pretoria, 19 September 2016

Our public universities are a significant national asset. They empower the next generation with skills and knowledge, and contribute significantly to the ability of our economy to compete globally through innovative and appropriate research.

Our universities currently face serious challenges in terms of funding. At the same time, large numbers of South Africans are currently finding it difficult to access post-school education because of the financial challenges they as individuals or as families face.

Government is aware of these challenges and takes them very seriously. Indeed, government remains firmly committed to progressively realise free post-school education for the poor and working class, as called for by our Constitution, and to assist middle class families who are unable to pay.

This is demonstrated by the creation of the Presidential Commission of inquiry into higher education and training funding, which includes universities, and Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges, as well as the substantial increases in funding to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme since 2010.

The task of the Presidential Commission is to advise on systemic and long-term measures to achieve a far-reaching reconstitution of the entire post-school education and training funding system, thereby enabling South Africans to access higher education even if they come from poor and working class families.

The Heher Commission recommendations will hopefully also contribute significantly to building and strengthening our universities and TVET colleges – and the Commission should be allowed to complete its vitally important task.

In the interim, while we all wait for the recommendations of this Commission, our university system has to continue functioning, producing skills for the economy, and empowering young South Africans and students from countries around the world, in particular the South African Development Community (SADC).

Currently, our universities face an extremely difficult financial situation. The effects of last year’s moratorium on fee adjustments and the extra costs associated with insourcing have both added to these challenges.

Our immediate and pressing task is to ensure that as we continue to improve access to post-school education and strengthen the quality of learning and teaching, we do not erode the financial sustainability of the sector. 

Our economy is currently weak and our fiscal position parlous. The tax burden has been rising in recent years, and we must preserve the fiscal space to fund government’s policy agenda in future years. This means that any funding government mobilises to support the pressing challenges in higher education, it would need to reprioritise from other government programmes.

We understand the legitimate student concerns about the affordability of university education. At the same time, we need to ensure that those who can afford to pay must pay.

Equally importantly, the post-school budget has to cover students in technical and vocational education and training, while we also face the challenge of building a community college sector to provide educational alternatives for 18 million South Africans who are unable to study at university.

In other words, our job as government requires a number of very delicate balancing acts.

To achieve our objectives, we must continue arguing for as significant a budget allocation as possible for post-school education. Indeed, a look at this year’s budget shows that this sector received the largest increase in funding of any government department.

Higher Education and Training this year received an additional 18% for 2016/17, with an average annual increase of 9.8% across the Medium Term Expenditure Framework period up until 2018/19.

From R42 billion in the 2015/16 financial year, the Department’s budget is set to rise to R55.3 billion in 2018/19.

Government has this year provided R1.9 billion of the R2.3 billion shortfall resulting from the subsidization of the 2016 university fee increase. More than R4.5 billion in the 2016/17 financial year has been reprioritised to the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).

Expanded funding is targeted to support 205 000 students entering universities for the first time or continuing this year, and a further 200 000 students at TVET colleges. This means that a total of 405 000 students would receive government support to access universities and colleges in 2016.

The National Skills Fund (NSF) has allocated R1.393 billion in 2016 towards funding undergraduate and postgraduate bursaries in scarce and critical skills. This funding is directed at meeting the full cost of study for over 13 500 undergraduate and 1 200 postgraduate students enrolled in programmes at our 26 public universities.

In addition, and perhaps most importantly, we must also ensure that we strengthen and empower those sectors, which are charged with training, and skilling people either who choose not to go to university or who do not have the opportunity, but nevertheless must be assisted to become useful contributors to the economy.

To support this aim, the NSF has allocated R626.795 million in 2016 towards supporting TVET college students in occupational programmes with a specific emphasis on occupations in high demand and R1.237 billion towards funding students in workplace-based learning.

Artisan development is also key on our agenda to address the National Development Plan target of 30 000 artisans per annum by 2030. Dependent on the artisan trade, it costs between R350 000 – R400 000 over a period of three years to train an artisan. This year the target is to register 30 750 new artisan learners, which will amount to approximately R4.6 billion in artisan learner grant funding through the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs).

It is indeed a fine balancing act and we must all participate, whether at the national level, in university administrations, or as student leaders – because it is the nature of balancing acts that if one falls, all fall.

Last month, I received recommendations from the Council on Higher Education (CHE) on university fees for 2017. I have studied these recommendations, consulted with university vice-chancellors and council chairs, various student organisations, organised labour, faith communities, political organisations and government.

Ladies and gentleman, the issues at stake are complex, and there are differing opinions and arguments across the system.

The CHE argued for a consumer price index (CPI) based fee adjustment for 2017, while many university leaders have made a strong case that an 8% agreement (CPI+2%) is essential.

On the other hand, some students have called for a moratorium on all fee adjustments until the outcome of the Presidential Commission is announced, whilst others are supporting government’s measures to assist students from poor, working and middle class families, which include the “missing middle”.

Currently, the authority for determining fee adjustments resides with University Councils. The CHE has suggested to their leadership that the system will be best served by a national approach. However, at the same time we do recognise the differentiated nature of the system and that a one-size fits all approach may not lead to sustainability in the system over the long run.

Government is alive to the legitimate cries of students regarding fees and to those of the universities who must continue to pay for specialist books and equipment in foreign currency and ensure that academic, support and service staff are adequately paid for their work.

As we wrestle with how to respond comprehensively, the equally critical building and transforming of our post-apartheid universities has to be supported. Starving our universities of funding is not the way to go, which is effectively what another across-the-board fee rise moratorium against the current fiscal backdrop would mean at this point.

While the Presidential Commission does its important work in developing proposals for a long-term funding model, universities will not be able to operate with fewer funds than what they already have. Everything is more expensive today than it was this time last year.

That is the reality of inflation.

We have looked at the challenges at hand from all sides and have concluded that the best approach would be to allow universities individually to determine the level of increase that their institutions will require to ensure that they continue to operate effectively and at least maintain existing quality – with the caution that this has to also take into account affordability to students, and therefore has to be transparent, reasonable and related to inflation-linked adjustments. Our recommendation is that fee adjustments should not go above 8%.

To ensure that such inflation-linked fee adjustments on the 2015 fee baseline are affordable to financially needy students, government is committed to finding the resources to support children of all poor, working and middle class families – those with a household income of up to R600 000 per annum – with subsidy funding to cover the gap between the 2015 fee and the adjusted 2017 fee at their institution. This will be done for fee increments up to 8%.

This will in effect mean that all NSFAS qualifying students, as well as the so-called “missing middle” – that is, students whose families earn above the NSFAS threshold but who are unable to support their children to access higher education, will experience no fee increase in 2017. Government will pay for the fee adjustment. This will bring huge relief to nurses, teachers, police, social workers, and other parents who work in occupations that do not earn huge salaries, and who have children at university. This will apply to students at universities and TVET colleges.

Administrative mechanisms will be developed and students informed on how to apply for the gap-funding grant before the end of this academic year.

There are many students from upper middle class and well-off families, as well as students on full company bursaries in our institutions who can afford to pay the adjusted 2017 fees, and we expect them to do so.

It is very unclear to government why families who can afford private schools should, under the current circumstances, be receiving further state subsidies for their children at universities.

To subsidise these students would require taking funding from the poor to support cheaper higher education for the wealthy, which is not justifiable in a context of inequality in our country. We cannot subsidise the child of a cleaner or unemployed person in the same way as we subsidise the child of an advocate, doctor or investment banker.

While NSFAS will continue to provide loans and bursaries to poor students, the Department of Higher Education and Training and universities will continue to mobilise institutional and private sector financial support to enable affordable financial aid options for the “missing middle” students.

I have constituted the Ministerial Task Team on funding support for the poor and “missing middle” students, which is developing a model that will be tested in 2017 to provide affordable support to these students. We will continue to look for other ways of supporting financially needy students not covered by NSFAS, whilst a long-term solution is being developed to raise sufficient funding from the public sector, private sector and other sources to fund “missing middle” students at universities and TVET colleges.

Universities must urgently, effectively and comprehensively advance our shared transformation as articulated in the 2015 Durban Statement on Transformation, and provide annual reports on their progress. Moreover, universities are expected to pay all of their staff, both permanent and contracted, a fair living wage.

I thank you.