A month after universities and TVET colleges started the 2020 academic year, protests at various institutions across the country have led to the suspension of numerous classes, while some institutions have resumed teaching.
GroundUp reports that Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande has urged students not to disrupt the academic programme, though many have still not received their National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) allowances.
This despite the NSFAS having transferred "more than R4.2 billion to all 26 universities in upfront payment to aid students further with accommodation and transport allowances pending the submission of registration data", according to a statement released by Nzimande on Sunday.
GroundUp took a look at the situation at several campuses in the country.
CPUT closed again, students 'forced' to join protests
"An executive management team has been working around the clock to bring an end to protest action which ground operations to a halt last week.
"We apologise to our students, staff and other stakeholders for the inconvenience and assure them that we are doing everything possible to get the institution operating as normal," said CPUT spokesperson Lauren Kansley.
Umgungundlovu TVET College
Students at Umgungundlovu Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College protested over unpaid NSFAS allowances last week. By Friday, some students said they had received their NSFAS allowances and on Monday all students from the five campuses were back in class.
The Department of Higher Education said it was in constant consultation with the NSFAS and all affected institutions.
Nzimande added he would continue to monitor the situation at the affected institutions. Protests over unpaid NSFAS allowances stop education across SA Protests over unpaid NSFAS allowances stop education across SA News24 10th March 2020, 15:10 GMT+11
A month after universities and TVET colleges started the 2020 academic year, protests at various institutions across the country have led to the suspension of numerous classes, while some institutions have resumed teaching.
GroundUp reports that Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande has urged students not to disrupt the academic programme, though many have still not received their National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) allowances.
This despite the NSFAS having transferred "more than R4.2 billion to all 26 universities in upfront payment to aid students further with accommodation and transport allowances pending the submission of registration data", according to a statement released by Nzimande on Sunday.
GroundUp took a look at the situation at several campuses in the country.
CPUT closed again, students 'forced' to join protests
"An executive management team has been working around the clock to bring an end to protest action which ground operations to a halt last week.
"We apologise to our students, staff and other stakeholders for the inconvenience and assure them that we are doing everything possible to get the institution operating as normal," said CPUT spokesperson Lauren Kansley.
Umgungundlovu TVET College
Students at Umgungundlovu Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College protested over unpaid NSFAS allowances last week. By Friday, some students said they had received their NSFAS allowances and on Monday all students from the five campuses were back in class.
The Department of Higher Education said it was in constant consultation with the NSFAS and all affected institutions.
Nzimande added he would continue to monitor the situation at the affected institutions. Read This Next
