Dr Blade Nzimande puts plan into action to ensure successful academic year

Higher Education and Training Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, is setting in motion the wheels to ensure a successful academic year.

Nzimande on Friday said the department has implemented new monitoring tools and strategies to overcome the bottlenecks that usually affect the Post School Education and Training (PSET) system at this time.

“We have deployed our officials across all our institutions to ascertain whether the registration processes at institutions are proceeding as planned and assist institutions, where required, with advice and guidance,” Nzimande said.

To further enable access to all institutions, the Central Applications Clearing House (CACH) was opened on 27 January and it will close on 31 March 2023 to assist students to access the courses and programmes of their choice.

“These interventions have greatly helped to reduce traditional bottlenecks in different parts of the PSET system associated with admissions, registration, student financial aid and accommodation. We are well aware of all specific hotspots and are working closely on the ground with our institutions to resolve these underlying issues,” Nzimande said.

Addressing the National Assembly on the state of readiness for 2023 academic year, Nzimande said as of this week, 25 of 26 universities have commenced with teaching and learning, and a few are extending their registration period to ensure maximum enrolment.

This includes making necessary arrangements to support those students who registered late.

“Our Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges started their academic and training programme on 23 January 2023. Our Community Colleges began their academic year in line with the Department of Basic Education calendar in January,” the Minister said.

Comprehensive student funding model

On student funding, Nzimande said the department is now working towards the finalisation of a new Comprehensive Student Funding Model, which they plan to submit to Cabinet within the next two to three months.

“We aim through this to also introduce measures to support all the categories of students including those who are not supported by the current National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) funding policy.

“For this current financial year, NSFAS has approved the provisional funding of a record and milestone of 1 083 055 students, a huge milestone in government’s commitment to fund students from the working class and the poor. Our budget is projected to be around 47.6 billion,” he said.

The department will in the next week meet with university registrars to attend to all matters relating to concerns raised by students and parents on the delays in the provision of information in order to facilitate registration by NSFAS.

“We will attend to all matters so as to ensure that NSFAS beneficiaries are not disadvantaged or excluded.”

Transforming MENtalities Initiative

In an attempt to fight gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) in institutions, Nzimande announced that this year, he will convene a national summit and dialogue with men leaders in the PSET system to address the issues of gender inequality, women’s emancipation, toxic masculinity, patriarchy.

He said this would be done through the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO)-inspired “Transforming MENtalities Initiative”, where they will find ways to build the next generation of young men and boys to actively champion gender equality and women’s emancipation.

“The battle for gender equality and women’s emancipation, including the fight against GBVF will not be won unless boys and men are mobilised behind these efforts! Our PSET system must lay a foundation for a transition from learning to working,” Nzimande said.

(With Inputs from South African Government Press Release )