Question NW645 to the Minister of Higher Education and Training
10 April 2017 - NW645
Bucwa, Ms H to ask the Minister of Higher Education and Training
(1)(a)What was the total budget of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) allocated to the University of Mpumalanga Mbombela campus for the 2016 academic year, (b) how many students applied for NSFAS funding at the specified campus, (c) how many students received funding and (d) how many students did not receive funding; (2) (a) what was the total NSFAS budget allocated to the University of Mpumalanga Mbombela campus for the 2017 academic year, (b) how many students applied for NSFAS funding at the specified campus, (c) how many received funding and (d) how many did not receive funding; (3) what is the current status of the applications for NSFAS funding of (a) a certain person (name and details furnished) and (b) certain specified students (names and details also furnished); (4) how many of the students who applied for NSFAS funding at the specified campus are still not receiving stipends for transport and other expenses?
Reply:
(1)(a) The total budget allocated to the University of Mpumalanga (UMP) in the 2016 academic year was R38 706 189.00. This included a provision for 2013 to 2015 Historic Debt (R3 124 189.00) and for the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) First Time Entering (FTE) students (R3 200 000.00). Allocations and payments to institutions are not differentiated by campus.
(b) 665 students applied for National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funding in 2016.
(c) 560 students were funded, to the value of R33 566 562.50.
(d) 105 students were not funded as they did not meet the academic criteria for funding, had already been funded by another funder, or had Expected Family Contributions (EFCs) that were too high.
(2)(a) For the 2017 academic year, the total budget allocated to the University of Mpumalanga is R 56 553 971.00.
(b) 1 165 students have applied for funding.
(c) Funding has been confirmed for 507 new applicants so far; 312 students are awaiting a funding decision.
(d) 346 new applicants have not been funded.
3.The current status of the applications for funding of the designated students are as follows:
(a) Thabang Nkadimeng (ID 9209186448088) meets the requirement for funding for 2016 and 2017, and will be funded by NSFAS by 31 March 2017, when all funding decisions will be finalised.
(b) Second year students who were funded in the 2016 academic year and who meet the academic requirements did not have to reapply for funding and will be funded. Of the continuing students who were funded, there are 285 students whose academic results are still outstanding from the University of Mpumalanga. Once these have been submitted and evaluated funding decisions will be made.
There were four invalid Identity Documents (IDs) which contained only 12 digits, not 13, listed in the document.
The status of the listed students are detailed in the Table appended as Annexure “A”.
4. NSFAS does not pay the allowances for stipends for transport or other expenses to the students through the sBux system, but disburses this to the University for allocating to the students. UMP is excluded from sBux. The university is therefore responsible for ensuring the payment of the allowance. UMP received an upfront amount of R2 408 250.00 paid by NSFAS.
COMPILER/CONTACT PERSONS:
EXT:
DIRECTOR – GENERAL
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DATE:
QUESTION 645 APPROVED/NOT APPROVED/AMENDED
Dr BE NZIMANDE, MP
MINISTER OF HIGHER EDUCATION AND TRAINING
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