The Department of Higher Education and NSFAS, have raised concerns regarding students who continue to commit fraud against the NSFAS system by failing to disclose improvements in household income or having attained an alternative source of student funding.
While briefing the media on the state of readiness of the Post School Education and Training sector for 2022, Higher Education Minister stated that an analysis conducted on a group of 2021 students revealed that 38 744 continuing students in Universities and TVET colleges continue to receive NSFAS funding despite having seen improvements in household income throughout the funding period.
Furthermore, the analysis shows 32 654 NSFAS funded students were found to have an annual household income that exceeds R400 000, while the funding eligibility criteria stipulate that qualifying students must have a household income that does not exceed R350 000.
Additionally, 7081 funded students had a combined household income of over R1 million and 632 students were found to have a combined household income of R2 million a year.
Nzimande further stated that these students will be defunded, adding that further legal action in the form of fraud criminal charges should be instituted against this cohort.
The minister is also due to release the revised NSFAS funding eligibility, terms and conditions for 2022 within the next few days.
