15 March 2021 The department of higher education and training cannot afford to clear historic student debt owed to institutions totalling nearly R10bn, nor can it support the call for a zero percent fee increment for the 2021 academic year, minister Blade Nzimande said at the weekend. File photo. Image: Kopano Tlape/GCIS
The department of higher education & training cannot afford to clear historic student debt owed to institutions amounting to nearly R10bn, nor can it support the call for a zero percent fee increment for the 2021 academic year, minister Blade Nzimande said at the weekend.
He was responding to a long list of demands made by the South African Union of Students (SAUS), which among other things called for the scrapping of debt of all students to ensure smooth registration processes.
Cabinet approves R7bn extra for NSFAS amid heightened student protests Government will spend R42.1bn on the scheme this year - up from the budget of nearly R35bn in 2020, which was already more than the R32bn the year before 11 March 2021 - 14:53 On Thursday, acting minister in the presidency Khumbudzo Ntshavheni announced that the government had decided to allocate additional funding to NSFAS. File photo Image: Freddy Mavunda
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has been given the urgent go-ahead to release funds to first-time qualifying students so they can enrol for higher education.
They were previously unable to do so due to funding shortfalls, guidelines and a decision by cabinet.
MPs say fatal shooting of man during Wits protest could have been avoided The turbulence, instability and unrest at institutions of higher learning at the beginning of each year is unsustainable, ANC MP Nompendulo Mkhatshwa said 10 March 2021 - 15:55 Image: Peter Mogaki/The Sowetan
The shooting of a bystander during a student protest in Braamfontein on Wednesday was “unnecessary”, deputy higher education minister Buti Manamela said.
The incident formed part of parliament s higher education portfolio committee meeting on Wednesday, with MPs lamenting what had happened.
“We have received the news [of the shooting]. We are trying to find more information so that we extend our condolences to the family. This is quite unfortunate, and obviously unnecessary. We do not encourage or condone situations wherein during protest there is loss of life,” Manamela said.
Online learning to continue as UKZN ushers in 1st-year students Updated
Nothando Mkhize
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The University of KwaZulu-Natal has welcomed its first cohort of first-year students for the 2021 academic year.
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First-years have until the 1st of April to register for their preferred course.
UKZN s Normah Zondo says the first semester’s academic activities will officially start in two weeks time. We are continuing with online teaching and learning for the first semester. A number of students who have been identified by their return to campus task team will be granted permits to return to campus. The first-year students part of the group along with all the students who require laboratory and clinical training, she says.