NSFAS says ICT system is still 'not up to scratch'

CAPE TOWN - The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) says it’s ICT system is still "not up to scratch" - with funding delays months after being placed under administration.

The student funding institution says student data is also vulnerable to cyberattacks due to security weaknesses.

The financial aid scheme and the administrator, Freeman Nomvalo, briefed the Higher Education portfolio committee on its first quarterly report while under administration.

They also gave members of Parliament (MPs) an update on the implementation of the Werksman Forensic Report into the entity.

Nomvalo has been leading the entity since April, after the previous board was dissolved.

At the time - the institution faced several challenges around its ICT system, accommodation and late payments to students.

Nomvalo told MPs that the ICT system is at the heart of the problem.

"When you identify thematically what drives these problems, you find that our ICT infrastructure as NSFAS is not up to scratch at the moment. But that infrastructure is leading to delays in processing applications and inconsistent results of applications on the outcome of applications."

Nomvalo says the biggest problem is the credibility of the data.

"Without data that is credible you’re not going to be able to make sensible decisions."

But the department and NSFAS said issues at TVET colleges have been resolved like the direct payment to students and an improved application system for next year.