By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
The Minister of Higher Education and Training, Buti Manamela acknowledged the turbulence of the 2025 academic year, where over 54,000 students faced blocked registrations due to a R13.3 billion shortfall.
Manamela briefed media on the state of readiness of the Post-School Education and Training (PSET) sector to commence the 2026 academic year.
He said lessons from this year’s disruptions have pushed the student funding scheme to strengthen its controls and improve turnaround times.
He added that a new funding mechanism had also been developed to address the shortfall experienced in the 2025 academic year.
“By reprioritising funds within the existing resource base of 13.3 billion to support 34,000 students with blocked registration and second-semester registration of 15,000 students.
“Many of these are students at UNISA. We’ll issue a secular today (Monday) to open the registration portal. Student accommodation providers who were impacted by the above will also be in a position to now receive payment for services surrendered.”
Manamela said plans are also underway to establish regional NSFAS offices.
“NSFAS is extending its footprint through localised and regionalised service centres, so that even those in rural areas can access help close to home. And yes, we’ve heard the plea of students, universities, and TVET colleges that we need to localise NSFAS. We need to regionalise NSFAS.”
NSFAS CEO Waseem Carrim confirmed that all affected students are now being reinstated. He added that student accommodation providers will now also receive long-delayed payments.
He praised those landlords who housed students despite the non-payment crisis but cautioned against “unscrupulous providers” who exploited the system.
To counter abuse, NSFAS has released a draft Student Accommodation Protocol that mandates placement within four hours of arrival on campus and sets clear rules for claims. The protocol is out for comment and will be finalised before 2026.
Applications for 2026 funding will open on Tuesday and close on 15 November.
Manamela emphasised that readiness for 2026 was not only about universities, which will have space for about 235,000 first-year students, but also about Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) colleges and Community Education and Training (CET) colleges.
TVET students will continue to be fully funded by NSFAS, including tuition, registration, and allowances.
CET colleges, serving over 130,000 learners, will also be supported with lecturer training, expanded programmes, and digital tools.
War Room
To prevent disruptions in 2026, government has established a “War Room” that will meet weekly with NSFAS, institutions, student leaders, and quality councils to resolve emerging issues rapidly.
Manamela described the War Room as a symbol of “a new approach to governance: agile, collaborative, and transparent”.
“It ensures that when problems emerge, no student, no parent and no institution is left without answers. It is one of the ways in which we are demonstrating that readiness is not a once-off announcement, but a continuous commitment to keeping the doors of learning and culture open,” the Minister said.
The Minister acknowledged the magnitude of the challenge, noting that the state of post-school education and training (PSET) is closely tied to the state of the country’s economy, health, democracy, and every other measure of national development.
“But we also know that we can and shall deliver on this dream, not as government alone, but together with the people. As the Freedom Charter proclaimed, and as our democracy demands, the doors of learning and culture shall be opened – not only in 2026, but for generations to come,” the Minister said.
Setas
The Minister also announced reforms within the Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), describing them as a critical bridge between education and the labour market.
“By the end of this week, all SETAs will have fully constituted Accounting Authorities in place, and the process for the appointment of chairpersons will be at an advanced stage of finalisation. This is part of a broader stabilisation effort, ensuring that SETAs can perform their critical mandate without governance paralysis, “the Minister said.
The Minister is scheduled to brief Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Higher Education later this week to account on the changes effected in SETAs and present an overall plan for reforms that will ensure a more efficient, transparent and impactful system.
He emphasised that SETAs play a vital role in creating opportunities for matriculants, unemployed youth, and workers seeking to reskill or upskill.