MINISTER of Higher Education and Training Blade Nzimande has ordered a forensic investigation into the extent of fraud, corruption, maladministration and collusion in student funding.
Allegations of university students "buying" funding of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) while officials award funding to students who do not qualify for the scheme prompted Nzimande to act.
The investigations will start in January after a capable service provider has been appointed.
The department has published the terms of reference for service providers in the Tender Bulletin.
Nzimande said even though the money from NSFAS was not enough to fund all poor students, it was not making the impact it was supposed to make because of corruption.
This year NSFAS spent R9.2-billion to fund 45000 university and college students. "Some students [and] SRC [student representative council] members have admitted to us that they know that there are students who are actually not qualified [to get NSFAS]. In some instances NSFAS is being sold, if you have got some money you get NSFAS [by paying] officials in some of the institutions," he said.
According to the tender specification document, the department has received several allegations of corruption and fraud involving recipients of financial aid through NSFAS.
"Given the limited financial resources and the demand for financial aid from poor needy students, corruption and abuse of NSFAS resources not only robs financially needy students of the opportunity to further studies, but also threatens the stability of the entire higher education and training sector," reads the document.
Jeffrey Mabelebele, CEO of Higher Education SA, an association of vice-chancellors, said the association supported the investigation.
"If money that is meant to go to poor students is deviated to the ones that do not deserve it, NSFAS will remain under financial pressure for the next coming years," he said. South African Student Congress general secretary Luzuko Buku said the student organisation also welcomed the investigation.
"It has always been our view that money intended for the poor should not benefit those who come from affluent families.
"But we also believe that the forensic investigation by the department should be parallel with the process of expanding the budget of NSFAS," he said.
macupeb @sowetan.co.za
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
Call to Probe NSFAS 'fraud'
MINISTER of Higher Education and Training Blade Nzimande has ordered a forensic investigation into the extent of fraud, corruption, maladministration and collusion in student funding.
Allegations of university students "buying" funding of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) while officials award funding to students who do not qualify for the scheme prompted Nzimande to act.
The investigations will start in January after a capable service provider has been appointed.
The department has published the terms of reference for service providers in the Tender Bulletin.
Nzimande said even though the money from NSFAS was not enough to fund all poor students, it was not making the impact it was supposed to make because of corruption.
This year NSFAS spent R9.2-billion to fund 45000 university and college students. "Some students [and] SRC [student representative council] members have admitted to us that they know that there are students who are actually not qualified [to get NSFAS]. In some instances NSFAS is being sold, if you have got some money you get NSFAS [by paying] officials in some of the institutions," he said.
According to the tender specification document, the department has received several allegations of corruption and fraud involving recipients of financial aid through NSFAS.
"Given the limited financial resources and the demand for financial aid from poor needy students, corruption and abuse of NSFAS resources not only robs financially needy students of the opportunity to further studies, but also threatens the stability of the entire higher education and training sector," reads the document.
Jeffrey Mabelebele, CEO of Higher Education SA, an association of vice-chancellors, said the association supported the investigation.
"If money that is meant to go to poor students is deviated to the ones that do not deserve it, NSFAS will remain under financial pressure for the next coming years," he said. South African Student Congress general secretary Luzuko Buku said the student organisation also welcomed the investigation.
"It has always been our view that money intended for the poor should not benefit those who come from affluent families.
"But we also believe that the forensic investigation by the department should be parallel with the process of expanding the budget of NSFAS," he said.
macupeb @sowetan.co.za
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
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