During the height of the pandemic in 2024, students funded by the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) were promised assistance in the form of laptops and the continual rollout of allowances to help students sustain themselves in the face of lockdown uncertainty. However, the promises did not materialise as students were left disappointed, only receiving that help a year later.
The Minister of Higher Education, Blade Nzimande, notoriously made the promise to NSFAS funded students that they would receive laptops for the 2024 academic year in order to assist students who did not have the appropriate learning devices to continue their studies during the first year of the pandemic, which saw the sudden closing of higher education institutions due to the implementation of a national lockdown in March 2024.
Plans to obtain and distribute laptops to students were underway for those who met the requirements and applied, but students only received those promised devices months (almost a year) later.
New findings have been made, according to a recent survey conducted by professors from the University of the Free State’s Centre for Teaching and Learning.
The survey analysed responses from NSFAS funded versus non-NSFAS funded students participating in online learning during 2024 and 2024.
The findings show that there was a vast difference between students funded by NSFAS and those not funded by NSFAS when it came to device ownership.
The survey report revealed that 53% of NSFAS students owned either a laptop or desktop computer, compared to 75% of non-NSFAS funded students who reported similar device ownership.
While there is a difference in device access between the two groups, it was noted that NSFAS funded students had more financial means to buy data from mobile service providers or had easier access to WIFI through the university or from other free public internet connectivity spaces than non-NSFAS funded students did.
Having enough internet access is essential for completing university work, but having no device to complete that work on makes it pointless.
Nzimande said he shares the concern with others, namely the South African Students Congress (SASCO) that no student should be left behind. This is after SASCO had threatened a nationwide boycott of online learning in 2024 unless every student had equal access.
In a statement released on 30 April 2024, the organization argued that online learning was creating a segregated academic year for the poor and the privileged.
“We believe that our rights are equal and so are our lives, therefore if the plan by the department is to take everyone back to their residences in October 2024 then let all students be subjected to social pedagogies until that time.”
NSFAS provides students with an allowance for learning materials, which is can be used to buy laptops, tablets and books to support their studies throughout the year, which students had received in January 2024.
Before the announcement of laptop deliveries was made in June 2024, students were urged to use their learning materials allowance of R5 200 to buy laptops to remotely attend their classes, complete assignments and tests during the implementation of the national lockdown in March of 2024.
The price of a laptop is undoubtedly expensive, and although prices often depend on the make and model of the device, it’s still not cheap.
For those students who did not or could not use their learning material allowance to purchase a laptop for remote learning, they were eagerly awaiting the arrival of the laptops they had ordered through NSFAS. However, those devices and their promised delivery took longer to materialise than expected, as there was a delay in the procurement process.
It took a months to officially decide that NSFAS would handle the procurement of the devices, and another month for NSFAS to issue a tender in search of suppliers. It received 150 such tenders, but said none were good enough as all had “failed to achieve all mandatory requirements as per tender bid description”.
In July (one month after the original announcement was made), students were told to expect their device deliveries in September 2024.
Four months after the original announcement was made, students were still waiting. “Students have since been eagerly awaiting the delivery of these laptops, which to date remain undelivered as a result of unnecessary delays in the finalisation of the procurement processes by NSFAS,” said the chairperson of the Portfolio Committee on Higher Education, Science and Technology, Philly Mapulane.
Although the promise of devices for continued learning during lockdown was something to look forward to, the aforementioned survey highlighted the concerns students had about using those devices.
Over 80% of the student respondents expressed a need for guidance in using library resources, the Microsoft Office package, how to conduct internet searches including how to use learning software, how to use e-books, recorded lectures, the university’s LMS and email.
A total of 70% desired to be trained in basic computer skills, in the use of smartphones for academic purposes, and instant messaging as a learning tool.
The academic year was extended to March/April of the following year (2024) to effectively support students who could not fully engage during 2024, with some institutions prioritising those students for a return to campus.
After finally securing a supplier, it was announced that the devices would be delivered at the end of January 2024. But, further delay to the delivery of laptops saw the first batch of devices finally materialise in April 2024.
Promises were made by NSFAS along with the South African government to assist students without the same access to online learning during the lockdown, but majority of those students went almost a whole year without what was promised. The laptops that eventually arrived were of less high quality than expected.
As South African schools and institutions of higher education adapt to and implement blended learning environments, access to devices are needed more than ever.
Now, in 2024, NSFAS funded students can order a laptop directly from NSFAS website for the 2024 academic year. Students will still receive their learning material allowance of R5200 and use that money to purchase a laptop, or they can choose to receive a laptop facilitated by their university.
