The tertiary academic year might face a rocky start as Minister of Higher Education and Training Blade Nzimande still mulls over funding guidelines for students for the 2022 academic year.
The National Students Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) proposed new eligibility criteria and conditions in November for input from affected parties including students and tertiary institutions.
But student bodies this week raised concerns about exclusionary fee blocks arising from students’ university debt, which would be exacerbated by no clear indication of who would receive funding.
President of the Student Representative Council (SRC) at UCT Mila Zibi, warned that none of the institutions had received the list of funded students so far. Zibi said the "inefficiencies" and bureaucracy might scupper chances of students to register and receive accommodation, as institutions required a funding confirmation.
NSFAS said it was in the process of "preparing a media release that will be communicated through the office of the minister".
The Minister's spokesperson did not respond to questions sent to him.
Zibi said that more 3 500 students might face financial exclusion at UCT due to various reasons, including lack of money and outstanding fees. Over the last two days they started gathering information on those who might be affected, he said.
The SRC also called on UCT management to lift the "fee block" on students who still owed the institution money.
Zibi added that should the university leadership also not clear historic debt owed by students, the SRC would consider protest action.
"We hope we will not have to resort to that form of action. But if our attempts to get our demands listened to are ignored, it will not be unlikely that we will engage in that," said Zibi.
The Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) said it would allow all students to register regardless of fee status.
SRC Secretary General Nonele Ganyile said student registration was scheduled to commence on Tuesday yet there was no indication of who was funded or not.
"We had a meeting with NSFAS on 27 January and were left none the wiser on the decision on funding. They always blame Department of Higher Education and Training - it's frustrating because it affects the future of students," said Ganyile.
She said the SRC was also handling complaints from students regarding outstanding allowance disbursement from last year.
Zibi said students were worried that appeals on funding decisions would now be handled by the "incompetent NSFAS" instead of institutions, creating added stress for students.
Student leader at the University of the Western Cape (UWC), Phumelelani Mshumi, said the SRC was already fielding complaints and concerns on registration eligibility and the vaccination policy adopted by the university. "Of more than 25 000 students, only 6 500 have been cleared so far for registration. We are opposed to the university's position that only students with proof of funding will be allowed to register, " Mshumi said.
He said another "contentious issue" was the vaccination policy which only allowed those fully vaccinated to stay in residences or be on campus.
But some universities indicated that they would allow students with debt to register.
University of Western Cape (UWC) Spokesperson Gasant Abarder said the students, however, had to conclude a payment plan before they were cleared to register. He said a total of 34 895 students owed the university as much as R473 million.
CPUT also said the university had previously funded outstanding NSFAS allowance payments to "enhance the right to education".
UCT said it allowed NSFAS eligible students to register without making any payment.
Those with debt from funders were also allowed to register if written guarantees to settle the 2021 debt were received, spokesperson Nomboniso Shabala said.
"In addition, the university has set aside its own resources to assist eligible and financially needy students to appeal for assistance to clear their 2021 debt and to register for 2022. About 2 000 students with outstanding debt will now register for 2022," she said.
As at January 24, UCT's outstanding debt from 2021 stood at R231 million, Shabalala added.
The University of Stellenbosch said it would allow returning students with confirmation of funding in the form of a bursary or loan to register, if the confirmed funding exceeded the debt of the previous year.