Lines at Bursaries and Loans Office reduce in numbers due to assistance. PHOTO: Jessica Josephs
Student organisations have joined forces to eliminate historical debt at Stellenbosch University. The South African Students Congress’ (SASCO) Right to Learn Campaign (RTLC), which aims to assist students with historical debt, has joined forces with the SRC’s RegisterAll Campaign (RAC). Together they have contacted the bursaries and loans sector to work towards the common goal of sourcing enough funds to overcome debt.
These groups have collaborated to try to eradicate as much student debt as possible in time for the 2019 academic year at Stellenbosch University. A report will be released within the next term concerning the details of how many students they have managed to register in the last two months.
The bursaries and loans office assists students every year in trying to minimise debt with a limited amount of funds. However, this limited amount can only cover national students who fall under a specific financial bracket, have been previously funded by NSFAS, and agree to sign an Acknowledgement of Debt contract (AOD).
SASCO and the SRC aim to cover the “missing middle” – students who do not fall under the above-mentioned categories.
Sifiso Zungu (27), SASCO’s former Chairperson, stated that, “most of the funding came from the help of private funders and the university’s bursaries and loans office”.
The Right to Learn Campaign aims to open the access of registration for students who are academically deserving regardless of their financial problems. Zungu stated that the biggest problem they are currently facing is that many struggling students do not know who they can turn to for help concerning this issue.
The RegisterAll Campaign was created by the SRC at the end of last year to serve its purpose during the registration period of 2019. The SRC has a similar objective to the Right to Learn Campaign – to assist students financially and to ensure that no student is financially excluded.
Lauren Stevenson (19), treasurer of the SRC, commented on working with SASCO and the bursaries and loans office.
“Although SASCO has its own campaign, through which it also assists students on the ground, the SRC is very grateful for their contribution to the student community. The registration period is an opportunity for all students to work together to help our fellow Maties and breed the culture of Matie for Matie. The Bursaries and Loans office is filled with many helpful staff who all have the interests of students at heart and is always very accessible to the SRC in times of need”, she said.
Head of Bursaries and Loans, Mr. Arrie Hanekom (59) stated that “Professor Thuli Madonsela has helped us a lot through sourcing funding from private sectors and she has managed to bring forth her social justice approach. I really trust her judgement and I am extremely grateful for all SASCO and SRC’s work with taking the extra mile in assisting these students. I think we’ve got a lot of brain power in fixing this issue.”
Mr. Arrie Hanekom, Head of Bursaries and Loans in his office. PHOTO: Jessica Josephs
Professor Thuli Madonsela has not yet commented on the matter.
If you would like to help with funding students in need, please contact Lauren Stevenson (laurens@sun.ac.za) or Sifiso Zungu (18818552@sun.ac.za).