Title: A BRIEF DECLINE IN STATE FUNDING OF UNIVERSITY FEES AND ITS EFFECTS ON GRADUATION RATES. My mentor, Dr. Pfano Mashau for motivating me from the beginning and always assuring me that my dissertation would be completed on time. In 2016, a cohort analysis of NSFAS students submitted to the NSFAS Executive revealed that only 13.1 per cent of NSFAS-funded students complete their qualification within the prescribed period and 32.2 per cent drop out within 5 years of study (NSFAS Research and Policy, 2016).
There are ways in which this can be remedied with the implementation of new funding models provided by the government. Graduation rates from NSFAS cohort study within regulation time 50 5.2 Dropout rates from NSFAS cohort study.
INTRODUCTION OF THE STUDY
- Introduction
- Background
- Research problem
- Research objectives
- Research questions
- Significance of the study
- Literature review
- Research design
- Limitations and delimitations
- Chapter outline
- Summary
One of the elements in the scorecard used for measurement is Skills Development (Department of Trade and Industry, 2013). The university's student funding manager provided the number of NSFAS funded students in the 2017 academic year of 15,894. A list of the NSFAS-funded students was obtained from the university's funding department from which the sample of 375 was randomly selected.
The results of the chosen research methodology will be evaluated and presented in the form of a narrative. The next chapter includes a detailed analysis of the available literature related to the research that will be conducted.
- Introduction
- The cohort study of students awarded NSFAS loans conducted by University of
- The formation of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS)
- The NSFAS Research and Policy Working Paper 1 – Reviewing the available research
- The New Student-Centred Model for NSFAS loans and bursaries
- The Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) Statistical Report
- NSFAS Working Paper Series 2: A Cohort Analysis on the NSFAS-Funded Students
This was a clear indication that students were experiencing financial difficulties in higher education and this was the reason for the introduction of NSFAS (de Villiers, et al., 2013). In 2000, TEFSA was transformed into NSFAS, which was a statutory agency with a governing board representing all major stakeholders in higher education in South Africa and appointed by the Minister of Education (NSFAS, 2016). NSFAS would use a means test to determine which student is the most financially deserving.
The research focused on elements of NSFAS's mandate, its place in the training and post-secondary education sector and the stakeholders affected. This research considers the operation of NSFAS, including its policies, practices and processes, and the impact of the scheme over time. In August 2011, NSFAS was directed by the Higher Education Minister to end all blacklists of NSFAS borrowers (Conerstone Economic Research, 2016).
Students would apply directly to NSFAS and would be selected accordingly by the scheme and no longer by the institution. According to the DHET, 416 000 students received support from NSFAS in the 2013 academic year (Department of Higher Education and Training, 2015). This information was made available from NSFAS annual reports (Department of Higher Education and Training, 2015).
The group's second study was the analysis undertaken as part of the NSFAS Performance and Expenditure Review (PER) commissioned by National Treasury in 2015. Through the document review, NSFAS found evidence that offered conflicting views on the dropout rates of NSFAS and non-NSFAS funded (NSFAS Research and Policy, 2016). Also, through the research conducted, it was identified that new models were being implemented by NSFAS to address this problem.
- Introduction
- Research philosophy
- Research approach
- Sampling strategy
- Data collection
- Data analysis
- Study location
- Reliability
- Validity
- Research limitations
- Conclusion
We used a deductive approach to analyze the data obtained from the answers to the questionnaire. According to Sekaran, deduction is the process of logical generalization of a known fact (Sekaran, 2003). The final stage is to check whether the sample is representative of the population (Saunders et al., 2009).
The data collection tool that, given the nature of the study and the number of funded students, seemed appropriate for this study was a questionnaire. The questions were also structured to measure the severity of the problem of lack of state funding and the ways in which these students were affected. According to Sekaran, after collecting data from a representative sample of the population, the next step is to analyze the results to test the research hypotheses.
This facilitated the analysis process by eliminating feedback that was not relevant to this study. The results were used to address the gaps that this study was supposed to fill, which was the objective of the study. This university was chosen due to the geographical location of the researcher, and it was a university that was affected by student protests over the increase in university fees.
Due to the corporate field of the researcher, any initiatives that the private sector can provide to help these students can be forwarded to these corporate institutions. All responses were included as relevant to the survey as the survey excluded non-consenting participants and non-NSFAS funded students. There was no assurance that students were actually funded by NSFAS participating in the survey because the survey was available to all students on the UKZN LAN notification system.
- Introduction
- The response rate
- Results
- The NSFAS Application Process
- NSFAS Loan Terms
- Academic performance of NSFAS funded students
- Funding received from the NSFAS
- Results
- Summary
As in Figure 4.2, there were 47 percent of students who answered yes to the question of whether they lived on campus. When students were asked if they were aware of the repayment terms shown in Figure 4.6, only 16 percent of students were extremely aware of the repayment terms of the loans received. It was identified that 75 percent of students were extremely and very likely to repay the NSFAS loan received, which is a positive reflection.
There were 15 percent of the students who had chosen that the repayment terms had no influence at all on their excelling in their studies. The largest group of these students were in their second year, making up 27 percent of the total. The survey revealed that 62 percent of students chose that they were extremely and very likely to complete their qualification within the prescribed period.
However, 10 percent of students would not complete their studies within the prescribed period, refer to Figure 4.11. There were 45 percent of students who found academic assistance provided by the university easily accessible, Refer to Figure 4.13. The access to academic assistance will help the 5 percent of students who do not foresee completing their qualification within the prescribed period due to academic performance.
These students fall within the 61 percent of students whose current fees are paid in full. As in Figure 4.17, 18 percent of students disagreed that the NSFAS covered their day-to-day expenses and of this total, only 36 percent of them lived on campus. The other 57 percent of students did not live on campus and the funding received would not have covered their meals and transportation.
It was identified that 39 per cent of students chose not to complete their qualification within the deadline due to financial constraints. Twenty-eight percent of students were completely unaware of the loan-to-scholarship conversion and 15 percent of students were unaware of the repayment terms.
- Introduction
- To evaluate the NSFAS funding allocation and whether this is sufficient to
- To obtain an economic insight into individual students’ personal financial situation
- To identify the correlation between the possible shortfalls in funding to a university
- To provide ways in which the private sector can assist in funding students while
- Summary
In section 4.3.4, Funding received from NSFAS, 71 percent of students agreed that their daily expenses were covered by NSFAS and of these students 74 percent lived on campus. It should be noted that only 7 percent of students had a part-time job due to the lack of funding received. In section 4.3.3 it was identified that 39 percent of students chose not to complete their qualification within the specified period due to financial constraints.
Under section 4.3.4, it was also identified that 39 percent of the students disagreed that the support received sufficiently covered their student aid. 32 percent of these students chose that they did not foresee themselves completing their studies due to financial constraints. Eighteen percent of students disagreed that their daily expenses were covered by the NSFAS grant received, and only 36 percent of these students chose not to complete their studies due to financial constraints.
In the same year, a statistical report shows that an average of 15 percent of undergraduate students graduated (Ministry of Higher Education and Training, 2015). The NSFAS ministerial review reported that 33 per cent of funded students were still studying and 67 per cent were no longer at university, although only 28 per cent of the 67 per cent graduated and the remaining students dropped out (NSFAS Research and Policy, 2016). A study by Stellenbosch University revealed that 55 per cent of the 2000 cohort gained their qualification within nine years.
According to section 4.3.4, it was identified that 39 percent of actual student fees funded by NSFAS had not been paid. Also, 39 percent of student tuition fees and 18 percent of daily student expenses were not covered by NSFAS. There were 51 per cent of students who were unable to pay for university if there was a short drop in funding received.
- Introduction
- Recommendations
- Private sector contributions to ISFAP
- Private sector contributions to students
- Funded students to be made aware of the loan terms
- Limitations of the Study
- Recommendations to overcome the limitations
- Future research
- Summary
The selection of students may be in line with the sector of the entity, where the terms of the scholarship may include an internship in the entity if the student excels in his performance. The compliance target is 2.5 percent of the measured entity's total workforce to score four points (Department of Trade and Industry, 2013). Of the students, 28 percent were not at all aware of the conversion of the loan into a grant.
When students do not know about converting a loan into a scholarship, it means that there is no incentive to succeed in their studies and they would not put in the extra effort to complete their studies. If students do not know the repayment terms, how they plan to repay the loan to make the funds available to future students. When applying for funding, funding administrators must make every effort to inform students of the repayment terms, which includes converting the loan into a scholarship when they are successful in their courses.
To reduce the likelihood of unfunded and repeat participation in the study, the study was available to students for a limited period of only four weeks. These changes within the NSFAS organization and new funding models need to be assessed to ensure that South Africa's students are supported by government to attend university for the betterment of the economy as a whole by upskilling the nation. An analysis of the #FeesMustFall movement in South African universities, Johannesburg: Center for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation.
The results of the focus group are intended to contribute to the correlation between the level of funding and graduation and how the Public Sector and the Private Sector can help alleviate the current financial strain experienced by students. I confirm that I understand the content of this document and the nature of the research project, and I agree to participate in the research project. Are you aware of the conversion of part of your loan received into a scholarship when you pass a course.
