House Chairperson,
The 2025/26 budget for Higher Education and Training stands at R150.2 billion, reflecting a 4.8% nominal increase. This growth masks persistent structural challenges in the post-school education and training (PSET) system.
The ACDP notes the Department’s priority to increase enrolments across universities, TVET colleges, and Community Education and Training (CET) colleges. However, barriers such as funding delays and infrastructure backlogs continue to undermine progress in this regard.
The ACDP calls for increased interventions to remove the stubborn stigma surrounding TVET Colleges perceived as second-tier options, despite their potential to drive economic inclusion.
It cannot be denied that NSFAS governance lapses and delayed disbursements have eroded student and public confidence. The appointment of a new board has failed to decrease operational inefficiencies at NSFAS.
A newspaper article, in February this year, noted that “funding delays and institutional barriers plague SA universities at the start of every academic year”. While the rollout of the Comprehensive Student Funding Model targeting the “missing middle”, was allocated R3.8 billion in 2024, it could only fund under half of the estimated 68,446 students from this category. Many of these students feel excluded and some who have qualified for the loan scheme allege that they have not been paid for the previous year. The ACDP agrees with the call for a system to monitor and enforce repayment of loans, because without a robust repayment system, the model risks becoming unsustainable.
The allegations against the Minister, of misleading Parliament, and of political patronage in the appointment of ANC-connected individuals to the SETA, must be fully tested within the ambits of the law and Parliamentary rules. The ACDP states that the heads of all Departments must be held to the highest ethical and moral standard. Anything short of this, is a disservice to the poor, marginalised, struggling students of South Africa.
While the budget reflects intent, delivery remains uneven. The ACDP, as Kingdom builders, calls for governance reform, data integrity, and a cultural shift in this Department, that values vocational pathways as engines of growth.
I thank you.
