Pretoria, South Africa- Higher Education and Training Minister Buti Manamela announced the establishment of a ‘war room’ on September 15, 2025, to address challenges in the post-school education sector ahead of the 2026 academic year. The initiative targets delays in National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) allowance payments, accreditation of student accommodation, and finalisation of examination certificates, according to a media briefing at the Ronnie Mamoepa Media Centre.
The war room gathers department leaders, NSFAS officials, university representatives, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) college staff, Community Education and Training (CET) college personnel, student organisations, and quality councils. The groups will meet weekly to identify and resolve issues that disrupt teaching and learning.
Manamela stated the war room focuses on rapid decision-making. “Through the war room, we will tackle outstanding issues head-on: from the timely payment of NSFAS allowances, to the accreditation of student accommodation, the finalisation of examination certificates, and the resolution of disputes that can otherwise disrupt teaching and learning,” Manamela said in a statement released by the Department of Higher Education and Training.
NSFAS supports 900,000 students annually with bursaries and loans across South Africa’s post-school system, which includes 1.1 million university students, 527,000 TVET college students, and 130,000 CET college learners. The scheme requires R75 billion yearly to meet rising demand, but faces financial strain from increasing enrolments and costs. Delays in NSFAS allowances have affected thousands of students in 2025. The department reprioritised R13.3 billion to fund 34,000 students with blocked registrations and 15,000 for second-semester registrations.
NSFAS issued a circular on September 15, 2025, to open the registration portal for affected accommodation providers.
Student accommodation shortages persist in South Africa, where public universities and colleges often lack sufficient on-campus housing. NSFAS mandates accreditation for payments, but unaccredited options remain common in rural areas. The war room aims to accelerate accreditation processes to prevent evictions and ensure safe housing.
TVET students have expressed doubts about the war room’s impact. “The war room won’t solve our issues,” a TVET student representative told YFM radio on September 15, 2025. They cited ongoing NSFAS delays and institutional inefficiencies as deeper problems requiring immediate action beyond meetings.
Manamela emphasised skills development alongside NSFAS. Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) offer learnerships, apprenticeships, and bursaries in fields like engineering, information and communications technology (ICT), and agriculture. “Through learnerships, apprenticeships, bursaries and workplace training programmes, SETAs open opportunities,” Manamela said during the briefing.
The war room will respond to 2025 disruptions, including protests over funding shortfalls. South Africa’s post-school system prioritises access for working-class and poor households, but growing enrolments strain resources. NSFAS partners with the South African Social Security Agency (SASSA) and Department of Home Affairs to verify student data and prevent fraud.
Critics from student unions argue the initiative lacks enforcement power. The South African Union of Students warned that without binding resolutions, issues like debt blacklisting under proposed National Credit Act amendments could persist. Manamela committed to sustainable NSFAS reforms later in 2025.
The department views the war room as a tool for stability, promoting on-campus dispute resolution to avoid strikes and ensuring that no deserving student faces barriers.
