HIGHER Education Minister Blade Nzimande has instructed the National Student Financial Aid Scheme to remove from the credit bureau all the students they have "blacklisted" for not paying their loans
The announcement was made by Basic Education Deputy Minister Enver Surty yesterday.
And students who took a NSFAS loan from April 1 this year will only start paying interest on the loan 12 months after they graduated.
"A further R50 million has been provided for post-graduate students. The money they pay back will be earmarked to fund future post-graduate students," Surty said.
The new measures are part of the government's plan to provide more loans to students. In February this year, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said NSFAS would get R3,6 billion for loans over the next three years.
He also set aside an extra R954 million for Funza Lushaka teacher bursaries and bursaries for scientific post-graduate students over the next three years.
Surty said that many students were paying back their loans after they graduated, although some refused to pay.
He said when students graduated but did not find jobs, the department did not want NSFAS to take legal action against them.
He said the government had decided to adopt a "sensitive" approach which had so far "worked well and had contributed to the recovery (of loans)".
However, the department was having an internal conversation about whether to hand graduates in well paying jobs over to the South African Revenue Service if they refused to repay their loans.
Meanwhile, Surty announced that a new medical school would be established in Polokwane to accommodate the growing need there. New residences for students are also on the cards.
"Accommodation in the post-school system must be given attention, as only 18,5percent of the student population is accommodated in university residences."
Relief for blacklisted students
HIGHER Education Minister Blade Nzimande has instructed the National Student Financial Aid Scheme to remove from the credit bureau all the students they have "blacklisted" for not paying their loans
The announcement was made by Basic Education Deputy Minister Enver Surty yesterday.
And students who took a NSFAS loan from April 1 this year will only start paying interest on the loan 12 months after they graduated.
"A further R50 million has been provided for post-graduate students. The money they pay back will be earmarked to fund future post-graduate students," Surty said.
The new measures are part of the government's plan to provide more loans to students. In February this year, Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan said NSFAS would get R3,6 billion for loans over the next three years.
He also set aside an extra R954 million for Funza Lushaka teacher bursaries and bursaries for scientific post-graduate students over the next three years.
Surty said that many students were paying back their loans after they graduated, although some refused to pay.
He said when students graduated but did not find jobs, the department did not want NSFAS to take legal action against them.
He said the government had decided to adopt a "sensitive" approach which had so far "worked well and had contributed to the recovery (of loans)".
However, the department was having an internal conversation about whether to hand graduates in well paying jobs over to the South African Revenue Service if they refused to repay their loans.
Meanwhile, Surty announced that a new medical school would be established in Polokwane to accommodate the growing need there. New residences for students are also on the cards.
"Accommodation in the post-school system must be given attention, as only 18,5percent of the student population is accommodated in university residences."
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Latest Videos