Chairperson, Minister, the primary goal of the Department of Higher Education and Training is to improve access to institutions of higher learning and to shift from an exclusive system to an inclusive system.
This year we have seen violent student protests about academic exclusions, a lack of accommodation, and fee increments. This is in total contrast to the Minister's reply that conflicts arise particularly during the registration period. The situation at universities has prompted SA Students' Congress president, Mbulelo Mandlana, to remark that the separation of basic and higher education has still to yield the intended results.
Academic exclusions occur, while the National Student Financial Aid Scheme, NSFAS, is allocated billions to help promote equity of access and provide free undergraduate education to students from the working class and poor communities who cannot afford higher education.
Cope believes that the Department of Higher Education and Training's progressive realisation of the constitutional right of access to education by providing free higher education to students from poor and working class communities will remain elusive.
In his state of the nation address, President Jacob Zuma said:
We are working with higher education institutions to ensure that eligible students obtain financial assistance through NSFAS.
While the President refers to "eligible students", the Minister of Higher Education and Training uses the term "deserving students". Who are these "eligible" and "deserving" students? Are not all students who have applied for financial assistance "eligible" and "deserving"?
It is reported that the R200 million set aside by the Minister in May to help graduates settle their outstanding university fees is sitting at NSFAS unused. Which graduates are being targeted by the department?
The National Student Financial Aid Scheme's unused allocation for student loans rose to R2,6 billion in the 2009-10 financial year. The NSFAS is also recovering loans from past student debtors and will reallocate monies to fund new students in the subsequent year. The NSFAS was established by the South African government to ensure that students who cannot afford to fund their own studies have access to tertiary education.
There is a disturbing 45% dropout rate amongst students in higher education. Financial difficulties amongst the country's large pool of poor black students are largely to blame. According to the Student Pathways Study by the Human Sciences Research Council, "first generation" students from low-income, less-educated families are the most likely to drop out.
Approximately 35% of the students on the NSFAS loan scheme do not complete their studies. Loans do not cover the full costs of study, leaving students struggling to cover living and other costs.
In conclusion, Cope strongly supports the idea that NSFAS loans be converted into bursaries for students from low-income families and that they should cover the full costs of study, including accommodation. The NSFAS should follow the J B Marks Education Trust Fund model, which has recently celebrated disadvantaged students. The trust was initiated by the National Union of Mineworkers and has awarded bursaries to more than 3 500 students. I thank you.