The Select Committee on Education and Technology, Sports, Arts and Culture has welcomed one of the Department of Higher and Education’s key targets of supporting 50 academic and professional staff at universities to undertake doctoral studies through the University Capacity Development Programme (UCDP).
The UCDP is focussed on improving the quality of student experience at universities, the relevance of the curricula, the abilities and motivation of academic staff, and the range of student support services.
The committee received a briefing on the department’s 2019/20 Annual Performance Plan, which provides a strategy for the department’s work over the financial year and during the medium term expenditure framework to implement its strategic plan. The Minister, Dr Blade Nzimande, told the committee that this support will be directed particularly at black women in academia, an area the committee agreed needs attention.
The committee is also pleased with the department’s focus on increasing the number of qualified artisans, as these skills will enhance the country’s economic situation. The committee heard that the department has entered into a number of service-level agreements with major industry partners and associations to ensure support for institutions and students in this industry.
Whilst welcoming these strategic directions, committee members questioned the department on the stability of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS). They enquired whether the department is satisfied with the way in which NSFAS is currently operating, the effect of paying NSFAS money directly to students instead of allocations to things such as books and travel allowances.
Due to time constraints, the department was asked to submit written responses on the questions posed by the committee, and to include an explanation of how the department intends performing oversight over NSFAS to avoid student protests.
By Felicia Lombard
18 July 2019
Arrange a tour