Uhlelo Lukazwelonke Lokuxhasa Abafundi (NSFAS) selugunyaze uxhaso lwabafake izicelo okokuqala abangu-626 935, kanti abafundi basemanyuvesi abaqhubekayo abangu-427 144 bahlangabezane nezimfuneko zokuqhubekela phambili ukuze baqhubeke nokuxhaswa.
Ekhuluma nabezindaba ngesimo sohlelo lweMfundo NeziQeqesho Ngemva Kwezifundo Zesikole (PSET) nokulungela unyaka wezifundo ka-2026 ngoLwesine, uNgqongqoshe Wezemfundo Ephakeme NeziQeqesho, uButi Manamela, uthe i-NSFAS iyaqhubeka nokuba yinsika ebalulekile ekuvuleni amathuba emfundo ephakeme kubafundi abampofu nabasemindenini esebenzayo.
Nokho, uveze ukuthi ukuthuthuka okuqhubekayo emfundweni eyisisekelo, kuhlanganiswe nezithiyo zomnotho ezibanzi, kuyaqhubeka nokufaka ingcindezi ohlelweni lokuxhasa ngemali.
“Sekukhona izinyathelo zesikhashana zokuzinzisa isimo, kanti kusakhiwa uhlelo lokuguqulwa kokuxhaswa ngemali oluzoba nesimeme esikhathini esimaphakathi. Isikhwama sabafundi abasemkhawulweni ophakathi (‘missing middle’) siyaqhubeka nokwandiswa,” kusho uManamela.
UNgqongqoshe uphinde wagcizelela indima ebalulekile edlalwa yiZiphathimandla ZeziQeqesho Nemfundo Yezimboni (SETAs) ekwandiseni amathuba okuxhaswa ngemali, ikakhulukazi kubafundi abangahlangabezani nezimfuneko ze-NSFAS.
Uthe ngesikhathi somjikelezo wokuxhaswa ngemali ka-2025/26, ama-SETA axhasa abafundi abasha abangaphezu kuka-15 000 abathola izibonelelo, kanye nabangaba ngu-8 000 abaqhubekayo, ngenani elihlanganisiwe eliseduze kwezigidigidi ezimbili zamaRandi (R2 billion).
“Lokhu kuhlukaniswa kwemithombo yokuxhaswa ngemali kunciphisa ukuncika ngokweqile ku-NSFAS futhi kuqinisa ukumelana kohlelo,” kusho yena.
Ukuphasa iziqu zeBachelor akuqinisekisi ukungena enyuvesi
UManamela usebenzise lo mbiko ukubhekana nalokho akuchaze njengokungaqondani okuqhubekayo mayelana nokwamukelwa emanyuvesi kwabafundi abathola iziqu zeBachelor ezivivinyweni zeSitifiketi Sikazwelonke SaseMatriki (NSC).
Uthe nakuba u-46.4% wabafundi bathole iziqu zeBachelor ezivivinyweni ze-NSC zango-2025, lokhu kuvame ukudala okulindelwe okungokoqobo kubafundi nemindeni yabo.
“Ukuphasa ngeziqu zeBachelor akuqinisekisi ukwamukelwa enyuvesi noma ohlelweni oluthile. Amanyuvesi asebenzisa izimfuneko ezihlukene ngokwemikhakha nezinhlelo, okuhlanganisa izinhlanganisela zezifundo, amazinga amancane ezimpawu, kanye nezinqubo zokukhetha lapho isidingo sidlula umthamo.
“Lapho abafundi nemindeni bedumazeka, kuvame ukuba akusikho ngenxa yokwehluleka, kodwa ngenxa yokungahambisani kokulindelwe. Umsebenzi wethu ukuqinisekisa ukuthi abafundi baqonda kusenesikhathi futhi ngokucacile yonke imizila ethembekile ngemva kwesikole, hhayi leyo ebonakala kakhulu kuphela,” kusho uNgqongqoshe.
Sekukonke, u-28.1% wabafundi bathole iziqu zeDiploma, kanti u-13.5% bathole iziqu zeSitifiketi Esiphakeme (Higher Certificate) ezivivinyweni ze-NSC zango-2025.
UManamela uphawule ukuthi njengoba ngaphezu kuka-40% wabafundi bengazange bathole iziqu zeBachelor, uhlelo lwemfundo ngemva kwesikole kumele luhlukaniswe ngokucacile, luchazwe kahle futhi ludluliselwe kahle emphakathini.
Ngenkathi emukela ukwenyuka okukhulu kwezinga lokuphasa kuka-matriki, uNgqongqoshe uthe lo mphumela ubeke ingcindezi enkulu ohlelweni lwe-PSET.
“Uhlelo Lwemfundo NeziQeqesho Ngemva Kwezifundo Zesikole (PSET) njengamanje lunezikhala ezilinganiselwa ku-535 000 ezixhasiwe nezihleliwe emanyuvesi, emakolishi eMfundo NeziQeqesho Zobungcweti (TVET), emakolishi eMfundo NeziQeqesho Zomphakathi (CET), ezinhlelweni zamakhono kanye nasekuqeqesheni emsebenzini. Lo mehluko phakathi kwempumelelo nomthamo ukhona, uyisisekelo futhi usunesikhathi eside ukhona,” kusho uManamela.
UManamela uwaphikile amazwi okuthi uhlelo lwemfundo ngemva kwesikole lusesimweni senhlekelele, ethi luyalungiswa ngenhloso.
“Luphansi kwengcindezi, kodwa luyabunjwa kabusha ngenhloso ecacile. Imfundo, ukuqeqeshwa nokuthuthukiswa kwamakhono kuzo zonke izimo zazo kunesithunzi nenani elifanayo emphakathini. Izindlela eziningi azizona izivumelwano zokwehlisa izinga, ziyisibindi sethu.
“Akubona bonke abafundi abazothola indawo ngokushesha ekukhetheni kwabo kokuqala, kodwa wonke umfundi kumele akwazi ukuthola indlela ethembekile, exhaswayo yokungena ekufundeni, ekuthuthukisweni kwamakhono nasekubambeni iqhaza elikhiqizayo emphakathini. Lona ngumsebenzi esizibekele wona futhi yilokho esizoqhubeka sikwenza,” kusho uNgqongqoshe.
Ithuba lesibili kanye nemfundo yomphakathi
UManamela uthe amakolishi eMfundo NeziQeqesho Zomphakathi (CET) ayaqhubeka nokuba maphakathi ekuvuleleni bonke amathuba futhi alungele ngokuphelele unyaka wezifundo ka-2026.
Uthe la makolishi azohlinzeka intsha nabantu abadala abafuna iSitifiketi Esilungisiwe SaseMatriki, ukubamba iqhaza kuHlelo Lwesibili Lwesitifiketi Sikazwelonke SaseMatriki, kanye nezinhlelo zemisebenzi namakhono.
“Unyaka wezifundo uqale ngomhlaka-12 kuMasingana 2026, ukubhalisa ezinhlelweni zonyaka kuvala ngomhlaka-27 kuNhlolanja 2026, kanti izinhlelo zamakhono ezimfushane zivulekile unyaka wonke,” kusho uManamela. – SAnews.gov.za
