I am a UNISA returning student and NSFAS beneficiary. There has been a back-and-forth game played by both UNISA and NSFAS. What we all know is that when NSFAS has approved you for funding;it will fund you for the whole course and you dont need to reapply. What surprises me is that many returning students are not funded this year;how is that possible? Both NSFAS AND UNISA should explain to us as to why  we are not funded for 2023 academic year.

There are a few course that had been affected;namely: BE.d;LAW;Financial Accounting;Social Work and Political Science. We have not received any communication from UNISA till to date. 

How did other students get approved;the very same students we were studying with last year;doing the same course and also funded by NSFAS? Why are we excluded this year without any explanation. We know that BE.d is facing out in 2025 not this year. UNISA must come forward and take accountability of their mistake that is affecting our future.

Many students are provisionally funded(NSFAS) but have not been finalized. Some were funded but later got SMSes that their funding is under review. Many will be left with their hands on the head. It is said that they were mistakenly funded. That alone need to be investigated. Now; fellow students do not know whether to carry on with their assignment or not.

We have been making endless calls and sending countless emails to UNISA;enquiring if we are on the funded list from NSFAS;the reply we all get is that we are not on the list. How are we not on the list yet we are returning students? Who is not doing their job here. And most of us were on zero-application but NSFAS fixed the issue and now we are stuck on provisionally funded for months without any change.

The cut off date for  registration payments is on the 31 March 2023. Now we will be forced to take a gap year because our registrations will be cancelled. We need answers;we are tired of being told the same thing because we passed all our modules and we deserve this funding.

Everywhere on social media students are crying;hopeless while others are filled with disappointment; not to mention the heart-break that this situation has caused. Our mental health is at risk because of this.

OUR YEAR MODULES WERE CANCELLED RECENTLY.

WE ARE PLEADING WITH NSFAS AND UNISA TO STOP PLAYING GAMES WITH OUR FUTURE. WE WANT JUSTICE.

LIST OF DEMANDS:

- Approve provisionally funded students

-Attend all appeals

-Finalize our registrations

-Release allowances accordingly

-Reinstate cancelled registrations