The current National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas) CEO has shared that it has inherited a significant number of problems from his predecessors, this includes failing IT systems which were used as loopholes for corruption and maladministration. However, processes to improve issues faced by the government bursary have started.
It has been reported that the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas) is working on new initiatives while having to undergo the SIU investigation.
According to the SIU spokesperson, Kaizer Kganyago, this investigation is aimed at allegations of corruption and maladministration of Nsfas, including other affairs in this bursary scheme.
Following reports of government officials defrauding students off their allowances, questions of how the Nsfas IT system is not able to pick up who would have released the funds to that number have also surfaced.
In an interview, Andile Nongogo, Nsfas CEO said:
On many occasions when we have appeared before the oversight committees, we’ve actually indicated as part of these assessments that the IT systems were not fit for purpose.
Nongogo has explained that the bursary scheme is currently using R43 billion for the 2022 academic year, the administration budget is R312 million and 60% of the budget will go towards paying salaries, of which there are also overheads. This means that there is little left to improve systems.
It has been confirmed that the Department and Treasury has provided Nsfas with R65 million to improve their systems.
According to Nogongo, the process of building and improving these IT systems has already started.
It is said that some of the issues that students faced will be eradicated with many improvements to be seen when Nsfas opens its new application cycle.
As the lack of student accommodation is also another issue that is faced in institutions of higher learning, students have recently raised their concerns on this matter and they have asked Nsfas to be more involved in the accreditation process for student accommodation as universities are not playing their part.
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