Failure to address student challenges is why NSFAS board dissolved - Nzimande
Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande says the NSFAS board failed to implement remedial action, despite an independent investigation.
FILE: Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande. Picture: @HigherEduGovZA/X
JOHANNESBURG - Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande said he decided to dissolve the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) board because of its failure to address student challenges.
Nzimande briefed the media on Sunday afternoon, following a week of changes at the embattled funding scheme.
On Thursday, the NSFAS board was disbanded with immediate effect, with the funding scheme being placed under administration.
Nzimande said the board failed to implement recommendations made by Werksman Attorneys, after an investigation into the appointment of four service providers.
"Key among which was the termination of the contracts of the direct payment service providers, which according to this report, were appointed irregularly. I must say I raised this in December to remove these service providers, which hasn't happened."
Nzimande said that under the sacked board, students had been faced with unending issues when it came to the payment of allowances.
"There's been a consistent inability to see the payment of allowances timeously by management, which has resulted in unnecessary stress for students and their parents and continues to threaten the stability of some of our TVET colleges."