Minister Blade Nzimande slams those against 75% module pass rate requirement for NSFAS funding

Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande said those opposed to the 75% module pass rate requirement for National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) students wanted to make failing fashionable.

Answering questions in the National Assembly on Wednesday, he said the new NSFAS guideline was to encourage students to aim higher and finish their qualifications in record time. Nzimande said the NSFAS guidelines at the moment stood at 50% of modules passed and had not yet been amended.

He said the final guidelines would only be adopted once NSFAS had finalized consultations.

However, Nzimande has hit back at those who questioned the move: “Which means if we keep those criteria, a three-year degree will take six years to finish. Now we cannot want to appear revolutionary as sometimes the EFF does, by promoting and institutionalizing failure

Firstly, it’s good for the students to finish on time and secondly, also it makes sure that we do not keep students in the system who are supposed to have finished.

The new requirements will become effective in 2023.

Source: News365

In other news – There won’t be a national shutdown on 2 December

You may have seen posts on social media announcing a “National Shutdown” on 2 December, while other memos call for a “shutdown march” in KwaZulu-Natal on 3 December

As per the fervent postings on Twitter, the supposed shutdown will affect “all cities, highways, main roads, roads leading to airports and train stations, etc. Learn more