ZIZOKWEHLISELWA isikweletu ngohhafu wemali ezibolekwe yona izitshudeni ezaziwa nge-missing middle, ezikhungweni zemfundo ephakeme uma ziphasa izifundo zazo ngo-70% kuya phezulu.
Lezi zitshudeni ezizobolekwa imali yokufunda yisikhwama iNational Students’ Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), ngaphansi kohlelo olusha lwalesi sikhwama ngenxa yokuthi abazali bahola kakhulu okwenza ukuthi zingakwazi ukuthola umfundaze wamahhala.
UDkt Marcia Socikwa isikhuli eMnyangweni weMfundo ePhakeme, utshele ikomiti lasePhalamende izolo, ukuthi lezi zitshudeni zizohlomula uma zenza kahle ezifundweni zazo.
Uthe imibandela yokuthi zibolekwe imali yokufunda kufaka nokuthi kumele ziphase izifundo zazo ngo-60% kuya phezulu.
“Kodwa uma kungukuthi ziphasa izifundo zazo ngo-70% kuya phezulu zizokwehliselwa ngohhafu kuya phezulu izikweletu zazo. Le mali ezizobolekwa yona ngeke izale, zizoyikhokha injalo uma seziphothule izifundo.”
Umqondisi jikelele emnyangweni, uDkt Nkosinathi Sishi, uveze ukuthi zingu-22 954 izitshudeni ezifake izicelo zokubolekwa imali kwiNSFAS.
Uthe kulezi zicelo zibalelwa ku-139 ezisagunyazwe ukuthi zizobolekwa le mali, ezingu-12 890 zisalinde izimpendulo.
USishi uveze ukuthi zingu-31 800 izitshudeni ezizobolekwa imali ngaphansi kwalolu hlelo olusha oluqale kulo nyaka.
“Kubekwe uR3.8 billion wokuboleka lezi zitshudeni imali yokufunda. Noma kuthiwa wenza muphi unyaka uzobolekwa imali uma uhlangabezana nemibandela ebekiwe.”
“U-47% okwamanje ozobolekwa imali ngaphansi kohlelo olusha. Sizonyusa isibalo sabazobolekwa le mali eminyakeni ezayo, okwamanje lolu hlelo siyaluhlola ukuthi luzohamba kanjani.”
Izitshudeni ezizobolekwa imali kumele zisayine isivumelwano sokuthi ziyabolekwa le mali.
UNgqongqoshe walo mnyango, uDkt Blade Nzimande, uthe bakhathazekile ngesikweletu sezitshudeni ezikhungweni zemfundo esikhula minyaka yonke.
“Ngisho umengameli wezwe ukhathazekile ngokwanda kwalesi sikweletu. Ezweni elifana nelethu ngeke singabikhona isikweletu sezitshudeni ngoba abazali baboleka imali ukuze bakhokhele izingane zabo.”
UNzimande uthe ngomuso kumele kubhungwe ukuthi kumele kwesekwe noma ngubani ngemali yokufunda noma kuhlungwe imikhakha ethile.
“Kumele le ngxoxo ibekhona emnyangweni ukuthi kuxhaswa uwonke-wonke ngoba efuna ukufunda noma kukhethwa imikhakha ebalulekile ezweni,” kusho uNzimande.