The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has paid R222.7 million to six universities for the Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme, benefiting 2 927 students.
In a statement on Saturday, the Ministry of Higher Education and Training said the payment of R222 688 894 was confirmed during Deputy Minister Yusuf Cassim’s meeting with senior NSFAS officials and the Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme team in Cape Town on Thursday.
The latest batch of payments was made to the Central University of Technology, North-West University, University of Fort Hare, University of Limpopo, University of Pretoria and University of South Africa.
The institutions are now responsible for processing and paying the respective allowances to students.
Deputy Minister Cassim has urged NSFAS to write to the institutions to confirm when all Funza Lushaka beneficiaries will receive their allowances.
“These payments must now reach students without delay so they can focus on their studies and not have to worry about outstanding allowances that have been pending for months. I appreciate the work being done by the NSFAS and the Funza Lushaka Bursary Programme teams to expedite this process,” Deputy Minister Cassim said.
The Funza Lushaka Bursary Scheme is a multi-year financial support programme funded by the Department of Basic Education to support students pursuing teaching qualifications at participating universities.
NSFAS implements the programme as the disbursement agency responsible for transferring bursary funds to institutions.
For the current academic year, 23 universities have been allocated R1.3 billion under the programme. The allocation covers tuition, accommodation, meals, learning materials and a living allowance.
The Deputy Minister has been engaging with NSFAS to ensure the prompt payment of Funza Lushaka allowances following numerous enquiries from beneficiaries about delayed payments.
Outstanding claims
During the engagement, NSFAS outlined the claims process and indicated that a significant number of claims from institutions remain outstanding.
The payment process takes approximately four weeks to allow for verification checks to ensure that claims are valid.
The Ministry stressed that institutions should submit their claims without delay to prevent unnecessary delays in students receiving their allowances.
For August, claims totalling R295 988 585 for 3 095 students have been uploaded for processing for the September payment. These payments will be processed in September through the normal processes.
The programme also has more than half a billion rand in unclaimed funds, with institutions required to submit claims by 13 September for payment in October.
The Deputy Minister has directed NSFAS to write to all institutions with outstanding claims to confirm that Funza Lushaka bursary recipients will receive their allowances without interruption and whether outstanding claims will be submitted by the deadline.
Workshop to improve claims process
To address challenges in the claims process, NSFAS has proposed a joint workshop with relevant stakeholders.
The workshop will seek to address structural challenges, including eliminating manual processes through automation, establishing effective communication channels with students and improving alignment and payment timelines.
The workshop is scheduled for November 2026, ahead of the next academic year. – SAnews.gov.za
