‘Dear Rapport Bursary Fund. I am in matric this year and would like to become a teacher. During Covid my dad lost his job. We could not afford the housing instalment and now live with my grandmother on the farm. Our only income is my grandmother’s pension but my father does odd jobs on the farm. Can you please assist me with a bursary?”

As an assessor for the Rapport Education Bursary Fund, I have had to read many such request letters and then make a decision. But how does one decide? Each application has merit: all have good marks, all are hardworking and all are poor.

You go through the applications with a fine-tooth comb, checking their marks and their parents’ salary slips (if they are employed), looking for something that can sway your decision. You also know that someone will be disappointed. I am past the point where I look at race or skin colour. All children experience disappointment in the same way. You hope and pray that you are making the right decision, and wish you could help everyone.

NSFAS

There are two big bursary schemes for tertiary students: the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) and Funza Lushaka. Most students prefer NSFAS of the Department of Higher Education (DHE) because it provides more money (R144,000 a year). Currently 708,147 students at 26 universities and TVET colleges are supported at a cost of R43-billion.

According to Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande, NSFAS is focused on “the children of the working class”. This means students whose parents have a combined income of less than R350,000 per year.

It covers: tuition and accommodation fees according to the institution’s scales; R5,200 for books and stationery; R26,000 for meals; a R15,000 living allowance; and R7,500 for transport – with a maximum total of R144,000.

This budget, in my opinion, is rather luxurious. There is cheaper accommodation available, many meals are wasted and Covid-19 has taught students to use cheaper online books.

I believe students should do something themselves to earn a “living allowance”. Most students have no other choice anyway. Such a huge budget requires good administration. Unfortunately, it is lacking.

NSFAS was placed under administration in 2017 and recently 35,000 students were caught out for supplying incorrect information. Often the money is misused for purposes other than studies.

Funza Lushaka

Funza Lushaka (which means Powerful Nation) is a bursary based on merit and the student’s results, irrespective of the parents’ income. Because education determines the future of a country, Funza wants to recruit the best students to address the shortage of qualified mathematics, natural and life sciences, and technology teachers.

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Therefore, it is rather strange that only 38,000 Funza bursaries of R113,000 are budgeted for. This is much less than NSFAS, and proof that the funding for NSFAS is excessively luxurious.

Other subjects that will improve your chances of a bursary are economics, accounting, agriculture and art because the country urgently requires teachers of these core subjects. This year only five Postgraduate Certificate in Education (PGCE) students at our faculty qualified for Funza because most students did not offer these subjects.

In subjects like Afrikaans, English, history and geography the market is saturated, while life orientation is not an examination subject and religious studies is no longer offered.

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Funza Lushaka bursary holders are expected to offer a counter-performance: they must teach at a public school for a period equal to the duration of the bursary. This teaches students that they must give back to the community and that no one should expect handouts.

In addition, it guarantees a teaching post and, in a time where the unemployment rate is skyrocketing, this is worth its weight in gold. Thus, prospective students (and their parents) must take note of which subjects are required for this bursary.

Key subjects

To qualify for the Funza bursary in the B.Ed. foundation phase (grades R to 3) at Stellenbosch University, a matriculant must pass mathematics with at least 40% or maths literacy with 50% and two of the three official languages in the Western Cape (Afrikaans, English or isiXhosa) with 50% or more. You can thus not offer isiZulu in the Western Cape, just as you cannot offer isiXhosa in KwaZulu-Natal.

Matriculants who apply for a bursary in the B.Ed. intermediary phase (grades 4 to 6) must achieve 50% or more in mathematics (not mathematical literacy) and pass two of the official languages with at least 50%. The same arrangement applies for isiXhosa as above.

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Stellenbosch does not offer B.Ed. in the general phase (grades 7 to 9) and prospective high school teachers must apply for the PGCE course. For this postgraduate qualification the student must have a B degree (eg BA, BComm or BSc) and must have passed the prospective school subjects at least at second-year level. A prospective high school maths teacher must thus have passed Mathematics II or III as part of their BSc.

Problematic

The NSFAS and Funza bursary schemes each has its own problems and frustrations. Here are two examples:

Lize-Mari, a Funza bursary holder, was the chairperson of the Faculty of Education Student Committee (ESC) and top achiever in the final year. Each year she experiences problems with the payment of her bursary. Enquiries showed that her name and about 100 other students’ names instead appeared on the lists of the University of the Western Cape (UWC). Her father is a pensioner and her mother a teacher. The family is not wealthy. So, she had to do extra work (like tutoring and looking after people’s houses during holidays) to pay for the necessities and “living allowance”.

Jayson-Lee is a bright, Afrikaans-speaking, first-generation student raised by a single mother. With subjects like natural science and Afrikaans home language he served with Lize-Mari in the ESC. Despite receiving confirmation of his NSFAS bursary in 2019, no money was paid over to him, Liza-Mari and other students in 2021. The university covered these costs, but the funding was never received. The same happened in 2022. It now reflects behind his name as debt.

Achievement clause

There are also other bursary schemes, each with its own requirements, which to my mind offer a better model than NSFAS. It is admittedly less money (and often only pays tuition fees), but students must learn that nothing is free and money is a commodity for which one must work. The Rapport Education Fund (REF), with which I am involved, is an example. This bursary and study loan is aimed at the middle group whose parents have a combined income of R350,000 to R700,000.

The study loan has an achievement clause and possibly supplies the answer to the growing demand for bursaries. The harder you work and the better you perform, the smaller the repayment. An REF bursary holder who passes with distinction pays only half the funding back and only once they have a job. In this way students take responsibility for their studies and learn to be less dependent on the state.

Other funds like the Jakes Gerwel Bursary Fund make a study coach available for optimal success.

Dependent

Due to the accumulated debt (as much as R100,000) students’ academic records are withheld and they cannot register with the South African Council for Educators (SACE). It is also too late to apply for posts. Thus, it is urgently required that NSFAS and Funza iron out their problems. Poor students are dependent on these funds. As matters now stand, NSFAS is not sustainable and alternatives must be urgently investigated.

All students in the same boat as Jayden-Lee and Lize-Mari were admitted to the graduation ceremony. As Vice-Dean of Teaching and Learning, it is my task to read out the names of the graduates. I recognise the name on the card and look up into two thankful, shiny eyes. I swallow at the lump in my throat, give the customary gentle nod to the rector, and continue:

“Mr Vice-Chancellor, I request that you award the degree Baccalaureus Educationae to Jayson-Lee Jansen and Lize-Mari Slabber: Cum Laude!” DM