Free higher education to be phased in over five years
Higher Education Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize also says the threshold to qualify for assistance from NSFAS has been raised
President Jacob Zuma’s announcement of free higher education and training for poor and working class students will be phased in over five years to ensure the sustainability of government’s financial resources, Higher Education and Training Minister Hlengiwe Mkhize said on Thursday. Mkhize announced that the threshold to qualify for assistance from the National Student Fund Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has been raised to students from households with a combined annual income of up to R350,000. The previous threshold was R122,000. Provision has also been made for subsidised accommodation and transport. In addition, provision has been made for the NSFAS loans of qualifying students in second and third years to be converted to bursaries.
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