Members of Parliament (MPs) said the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) remains in crisis and demanded to meet with Minister Blade Nzimande.
Members of the higher education committee slammed Nzimande and NSFAS for not attending Wednesday’s meeting to discuss problems related to the new direct payment system for students.
The student finance aid scheme also failed to attend, requesting to meet with the committee in October.
Nzimande and the scheme’s management were supposed to give MPs an update on the turnaround plan to resolve problems related to the new direct payment system.
But committee chairperson, Nompendulo Mkhatshwa said they initially agreed to attend but changed their minds at the last minute.
“Perhaps you are wondering why I did not just send this information yesterday [Tuesday] and just should have postponed the meeting, but I felt it was important that the matter be discussed because it is concerning,” Mkhatshwa said.
“Hear our call when we say there is a crisis in NSFAS and that crisis needs urgent attention and urgent intervention,” said committee member Sanele Zondo.
On Tuesday, Nzimande told a press briefing that the student funding scheme’s system was experiencing some glitches but insisted all failures were being addressed.
-EWN
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