Higher education minister Blade Nzimande has briefed the media on the country’s state of readiness and academic funding in 2017.<\/p>\n
Nzimande confirmed that 26 public universities will provide access to over 197,400 new entrants wishing to pursue their studies across all general, technical and professional fields in 2017.<\/p>\n
Included in these \u00a0are the three new universities: Sol Plaatje University (SPU), the University of Mpumalanga (UMP) and the Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University (SMU).<\/p>\n
Following a tumultuous two years of student protests Nzimande also outlined how academic funding would work over the course of 2017.<\/p>\n
The\u00a0National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS)\u00a0grants cover the increases for tuition fees and university or college-managed accommodation, and will not have to be repaid by qualifying students.<\/p>\n
Nzimande confirmed that there\u00a0wouldn’t be any university fee increases for NSFAS students in 2017, following the news that\u00a0government would be\u00a0providing an additional R9 billion for the scheme\u00a0over the coming year\u00a0– raising its funding by over 18% to universities over the next three years to assist poor and missing middle students.<\/p>\n
Further, government said it 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.<\/p>\n
All\u00a0NSFAS qualifying students would not be required to\u00a0pay any registration or upfront fees in 2017 either, Nzimande said.<\/p>\n
“This will benefit more than 75% of university and TVET college students across the country”, he said.<\/p>\n
Nzimande also\u00a0addressed the “missing-middle” –\u00a0students from households with annual incomes of between R122\u201a000 and R600\u201a000 who\u00a0do not\u00a0qualify\u00a0for NSFAS support.<\/p>\n
During 2017, the Ikusasa Student Financial Aid Programme model, which is aimed at assisting the \u201cmissing middle\u201d, will be piloted at six universities and one TVET college.<\/p>\n
The pilot will fund the studies of approximately 1,500 students studying in a number of general formative degrees as well as seven professional qualifications and one artisan qualification for the duration of their studies.<\/p>\n