Student disruptions have been reported at 14 TVET Colleges, according to Prof Dipiloane Phutsisi, president of the South African Public Colleges Organization (SAPCO).
Due to time constraints, 90% of colleges were able to submit their status reports. NSFAS, a lack of lecturers, and occasionally textbooks are the biggest problems on college campuses.
During the recent portfolio committee meeting, it was stated that TVET College students throughout the country have been experiencing delays in receiving their results, NSFAS allowances as well as backup generators for their computer labs.
This meeting was between stakeholders, including the South African Union of Students (SAUS) and the South African Technical and Vocational Education and Training Student Association (SATVETSA),
As a result, many of these students have grown frustrated over the delays according to SRC representative and Secretary General, Students Representative Council (SRC) at Umfolozi College, Wongani Mgwali.
Mgwali said that while some TVET students were receiving allowances, others were not and many had experienced changes to their NSFAS funding status while others did not. Delays for the students who were submitting appeals added to their aggravation and eventually sparked protests at the College.
Mr W Letsie, a member of the African National Party (ANC), called for an improvement in the disbursement of allowances at TVET colleges. He argued that there is no difference in the cost of basic requirements such as food, accommodation, and transportation between TVET colleges and universities.
In addition to this, some students at the Buffalo City TVET College who failed last year but passed this year ran into funding issues as a result of problems with misinterpreting guidelines. Mgwali said this should not even be an issue and he hoped that solutions would be found.
