Higher education & training minister Nobuhle Nkabane says she is seeking an earlier release date for the 2024 matric results in an effort to relieve pressure on the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and tertiary education institutions.
Matric results were historically published in the first week of January, but since the Covid-19 pandemic they have been released considerably later. Last year, the results were released in the third week of January, after some university courses had already begun. This year’s results are due to be published on January 16, the day after the minister of basic education releases the overall trends.
“We are working towards ensuring a better interface with the department of basic education. I am going to initiate a meeting with my counterpart minister, Siviwe Gwarube ... so we can discuss this matter and how best to arrest it,” Nkabane said at a media briefing on Monday.
“NSFAS is the main factor for instability in our institutions of higher learning. Delays in releasing matric examination results translates into delays in funding decisions,” she said.
NSFAS is the biggest source of financial support available to SA students, many of whom are wholly dependent on it to cover their living costs, accommodation and fees. It has been dogged by controversy for years and has been twice placed under administration — first between 2018 and 2020 and then again in April after it was rocked by allegations of corruption levelled against former CEO Andile Nongogo and former chair Ernest Khosa.
Basic education department spokesperson Elijah Mhlanga said the matric results release date had been discussed several times.
“A month ago the leadership of Universities SA Forum raised the matter with the minister, and she committed to looking into it. The department of basic education is not the only role player in the issue because we are subject to Umalusi processes,” he said, referring to the exams quality assurer.
“It should be noted that the 2024 national senior certificate results will be released a week earlier than the last release,” he said.
NSFAS announced that it had delayed opening online applications for the 2025 academic year from September 16 to September 20, due to talks with stakeholders late last week and over the weekend.
NSFAS administrator Freeman Nomvalo said the organisation was ready for the influx of applications, but warned that delays were possible if there were power interruptions or problems verifying students’ details with other state institutions, such as the department of home affairs and the SA Social Security Agency.
“We are confident that the system is ready and will be user-friendly for students,” he said.
The minister also said NSFAS was negotiating with its landlord to exit its costly office in central Cape Town. NSFAS came under fire from MPs last month, who questioned why it had moved from Wynberg to much more expensive premises on the foreshore.
In 2022, the Organisation Undoing Tax Abuse revealed that NSFAS had signed a lease for the foreshore office space with Dynamic SA Holding for R166.9m over a period of up to five years — equivalent to an average of R33.4m a year. It previously paid R603,000 a month for a smaller office in Wynberg, equivalent to just more than R7.2m a year.
“We plan to terminate the contract because it doesn’t make any business sense,” said the minister.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.