TUT students get Nsfas funding restored after code errors

TUT has confirmed that the affected students' funding has been fully restored and that their September allowances have been paid. A total of 182 Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) students have had their National Student Financial Aid Scheme (Nsfas) funding restored after incorrect qualification codes resulted in them being affected by the N+ rule. The funding was reinstated after TUT corrected the qualification codes following intervention by Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training Yusuf Cassim. The intervention came after Cassim’s office received more than 300 self-reported cases from TUT students through its Helpdesk. The cases mainly involved students who had been defunded under the N+ rule, pending funding investigations, dual registration and data-sharing challenges between TUT’s financial aid office and Nsfas. After receiving the cases, TUT and Nsfas worked through the affected student records and identified and corrected the qualification codes of the 182 students. TUT has confirmed that the affected students’ funding has been fully restored and that their September allowances have been paid. More students face accommodation payment delays Cassim visited TUT on Wednesday, 9 September, accompanied by officials from the Department of Higher Education and Training’s university branch and Nsfas. During engagements with TUT senior management, led by vice-chancellor Professor Tinyiko Maluleke, and the student representative council, another problem emerged involving accommodation payments. According to the department, 1 212 students had been placed in accredited accommodation after the Nsfas portal closed but had not received payment for their accommodation. A further 115 students had their funding approved by Nsfas after the portal closed and faced the same problem. Cassim has since written to the Nsfas Board requesting that the cases be investigated without delay and that the affected students receive assistance immediately. Thousands have had funding reinstated The latest intervention forms part of wider efforts to resolve outstanding Nsfas funding cases. Nsfas has confirmed that payments have been processed for students whose funding investigations were successfully concluded. Nationally, funding has been reinstated for 2 476 TVET college students, with payments for students with valid registrations processed and issued from 25 August. Funding has also been reinstated for 3 234 university students. Cassim has been following up on cases where students had their funding restored after investigations were concluded to ensure they receive outstanding allowances. Students whose investigations have been successfully concluded but who have not received their allowances can contact the Deputy Minister’s Helpdesk to have their cases escalated. On dual registrations, Nsfas received 2 982 records involving students registered at more than one institution. Of these, 1 303 have been confirmed and are being paid. TUT also identified 16 resolved dual-registration cases where funding had not yet been restored. Cassim urged Nsfas to prioritise these cases. “Although these issues might seem administrative, for students they are highly personal, affecting their ability to register, access allowances for meals, transport, or accommodation, and continue their studies,” Cassim said. “No student should miss academic time due to incorrect data or unresolved issues between the institution and Nsfas,” he said.