Those students that receive learning material allowances from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) must use the funds to purchase devices that will support their remote learning.
This is the call made by Parliament’s select committee on education and technology, sports, arts and culture, as more students will be expected to come online with the resumption of the 2020 academic year from 1 June.
With only 33% of the student population returning to campuses as of next month, all other students will be supported through remote multi-modal teaching, learning and assessment until they return to classrooms.
There has been concern expressed that the higher education department’s multi-modal and remote learning system disadvantages a significant number of students based in underprivileged areas.
To address this, higher education, science and innovation minister Dr Blade Nzimande said at the weekend that government is committed to ensure all NSFAS students have access to appropriate devices to support their online learning.
The select committee on education and technology, sports, arts and culture in Parliament is also urging students to do their part.
“Many students, who still have not bought laptops, must do so, especially those who have been paid the annual teaching assistance allowance of R5 200, to buy gadgets that will facilitate their learning during this challenging time,” says committee chairperson Elleck Nchabeleng.
NSFAS qualifying students receive a learning material allowance for the year, which includes R5 200 issued once a year to beneficiaries to purchase things like laptops, tablets and books.
To access the Internet, NSFAS and Funza Lushaka students will receive 10GB daytime and 20GB night-time data for three months, starting from 1 June until the end of August.
The higher education department, in partnership with the communications and digital technologies ministry and mobile network operators, has also ensured the educational content sites of public universities, technical and vocational education and CET colleges, including agricultural and nursing colleges, is zero-rated.
The zero-rating ensures access to institutional Web sites is free, although some of the embedded content like YouTube videos is charged for.
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