The Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Yusuf Cassim (second from right), and acting Unisa Vice- Chancellor Mathabo Nakene-Mginqi (far right), with representatives from NSFAS and the university’s senior management during deliberations.
During a recent visit to the University of South Africa (Unisa), the Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Yusuf Cassim, emphasised the urgent need for renewed collaboration between funding bodies and higher education institutions to alleviate the mounting financial pressures impacting the sector. The oversight visit was triggered by concerns raised by students regarding the disbursement of National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funds, heightening the call for open dialogue over assigning blame.
“We are here to listen and tackle the frustrations voiced by students regarding their experiences through existing institutional channels,” Cassim said, framing the engagement as a vital step towards transparent communication and actionable solutions aimed at addressing the issues students face.
Unisa's acting Chief Financial Officer, Liana Joubert, illustrated the financial challenges confronting the institution, revealing a projected deficit of R106 million for 2025 after the university disbursed R907 million to ensure students had timely access to learning materials, despite receiving only R733 million in funding earlier that year. Joubert called for “in-depth scrutiny during audit committees,” emphasising the critical need for reassessment in funding policies.
