Yusuf Cassim Tackles NSFAS Allowance Challenges in First Public Engagement at Unisa
The Deputy Minister has long championed student access and success in higher education, dating back to his student leadership days.
Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training Yusuf Cassim’s first public engagement at Unisa’s Muckleneuk Campus in Pretoria on Thursday is a significant moment, especially given the ongoing challenges with NSFAS, students accommodation, living and data allowances.
The newly-elected DP’s decision to meet directly with student leaders and management shows a clear intent to get firsthand insight into the delays and the impact of scrapping data allowances for distance-learning students.
The Department of Higher Education and Training said in a statement that Cassim’s visit follows numerous student complaints received through the Deputy Minister’s Helpdesk regarding delays in NSFAS allowance payments and the discontinuation of data allowances.
“Deputy Minister Cassim remains committed to the DM’s Helpdesk, established by his predecessor, Dr Mimmy Gondwe. The Helpdesk serves as a ‘helping hand’, providing swift and personalised support to students by escalating queries and grievances and driving meaningful solutions.
“During the visit, the Deputy Minister will meet student leaders and Unisa management to assess mixed reports on the causes of delays in the payment of NSFAS allowances and the impact of scrapping the data allowance for distance-learning students”.
Cassim has long championed student access and success in higher education, dating back to his student leadership days. Hence, his first public engagement is to gain a firsthand understanding of the NSFAS allowances issue and the measures taken to address the challenges effectively.
He has also committed to digitising the Helpdesk into an online platform to enable student support to be accessible, faster.
Over the years students have reported mixed experiences regarding NSFAS, with some receiving payments late or inconsistently. Cassim’s visit aims to clarify the root causes.
And for Unisa’s distance-learning students, losing data support is particularly disruptive especially for poor students, as online access is essential for their studies.
The Unisa visit is not just symbolic - it’s a test of whether the new Deputy Minister can translate student concerns into actionable policy changes.
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