Dominic Adriaanse
THE presidential task team established to investigate how students who do not qualify for national funding could be assisted has recommended a financial model that would include the private banking sector and other businesses.
Students and staff of UCT on Monday voiced their grievances on a range of issues, including the “missing middle”, a category of students who do not meet the minimum requirements for National Student Financial Aid Scheme(NSFAS) funding.
NSFAS executive director Msulwa Daca said the task team recommended the model for funding be developed this year.
“This must be developed during 2016 with the view to testing it in the 2017 academic year for full implementation in 2018. Investment should be solicited from the full range of stakeholders to enable implementation on the scale required,” Daca said.
UCT spokesperson Elijah Moholola said students would not be denied registration because of financial difficulty and the university always offered financial assistance to students whose household income was insufficient.
“This money comes from UCT’s own budget and from money we raised from donors,” said Moholola.
Second-year Social Sciences student Mmetsa Mawabela received gap funding, which she says covers studies and residence costs, but not her food and medical costs. She said she would appeal in order to complete her studies.
Mawabela said her last year was difficult as she had required a psychiatrist, who she needed to see twice a week, and had also joined the #FeesMustFall (FMF) movement.
FMF member Pamela Dhlamini, from Joburg, said she has no family in the Western Cape.
“My funding has been stopped and I have been told to get private housing, but I have no money. UCT does not care about our pain, it is not important to them.”
Moholola said once the appeals committee had made a decision on how much students would receive towards their debt, this would be communicated to the student.
“The sooner they appeal for assistance, the sooner we can respond, giving them clarity on whether they will be able to register or how much they may still need to raise based on our assessment of what they can afford.”
Students have until Friday to contact the appeals committee.