Minister Manamela Promises Parliament a Sustainable NSFAS Funding Model by 2027

• Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela briefed Parliament's Higher Education Oversight Committee on NSFAS and the 2027 application portal
• Manamela confirmed that comprehensive student funding and accommodation guidelines are on track for completion by 2027
• Committee Chairperson Tebogo Letsie said the parliamentary schedule will be adjusted to accommodate a formal ministry presentation

SOUTH AFRICA — Higher Education Minister Buti Manamela has committed to presenting a sustainable student funding model to Parliament, pending the finalisation of an ongoing policy framework. This comes as the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is facing a crisis that caught the attention of President Cyril Ramaphosa.

Manamela and the NSFAS board appeared before Parliament's Higher Education Oversight Committee, where they briefed members on system readiness and the status of the application portal ahead of the 2027 academic year.

NSFAS funding guidelines on track for 2027

The minister confirmed that both the comprehensive funding guidelines and student accommodation regulations are expected to be completed by 2027. These guidelines are designed to stabilise existing governance structures and secure long-term financial sustainability across higher education institutions in the country.

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Manamela did not specify a precise date for the policy presentation but indicated it would follow the conclusion of the finalisation process.

Committee to adjust schedule for ministry presentation

Higher Education Portfolio Committee Chairperson Tebogo Letsie confirmed that the committee has been in ongoing discussions with the minister regarding the proposed strategy. Letsie indicated that the committee would restructure its parliamentary programme to make room for a formal presentation from the ministry once the final proposals are concluded.

The briefing comes at a critical period for NSFAS, which has faced sustained scrutiny over governance failures, funding disbursements, and student eligibility disputes in recent years. The development of a formalised, long-term funding model is seen as a key step toward addressing systemic instability within the student financial aid sector.

Manamela recently attended the launch of the NSFAS application registration period. View the post on Facebook here:

Over 40,000 students improperly funded by NSFAS

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In a related article, Briefly News reported on the Public Protector’s findings that NSFAS improperly funded more than 40,000 students with R5.1 billion. The investigation covered 76 institutions, while only R2 billion of the funds had been recovered.

The report has intensified scrutiny of NSFAS amid concerns over ineligible applicants, ghost students and the rejection of financially needy students. South Africans are now demanding accountability as the scheme faces questions over how billions were disbursed.

Source: Briefly News