ASSESSING THE UTILITY OF THE NATIONAL STUDENT FINANCIAL AID SCHEME TOWARDS SKILLS DEVELOPMENT: A CASE OF A RURAL UNIVERSITY IN SOUTH AFRICA.
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| Title: | ASSESSING THE UTILITY OF THE NATIONAL STUDENT FINANCIAL AID SCHEME TOWARDS SKILLS DEVELOPMENT: A CASE OF A RURAL UNIVERSITY IN SOUTH AFRICA. |
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| Authors: | Mokgotho, M. G.1, Njoko, M. B.1, Burman, C. J.1 |
| Source: | South African Journal of Higher Education. Nov2023, Vol. 37 Issue 6, p76-91. 16p. |
| Subject Terms: | *Student financial aid, *Self-esteem, *Scholarships, *Universities & colleges, Rural development, Soft skills |
| Geographic Terms: | South Africa |
| Abstract: | The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) was introduced in 1999 in South Africa to provide financial support for disadvantaged students through the provision of both loans and bursaries. This article reflects on the effects of the scheme on skills development within two faculties at the University of Limpopo. The research was undertaken in 2021 employing an exploratory qualitative methodology. A total of eighteen participants were purposively selected from two of the four faculties of the University of Limpopo. A semi-structured interview guide was utilised to elicit narrative data from all participating beneficiaries of the NSFAS. The narrative data were analysed using a thematic coding design and interpretations of the findings were subsequently made. The interpretation of the analysis focused on the effect of the NSFAS support on students’ skills development. The findings suggest that NSFAS funding contributed to the development of soft skills of beneficiaries which included financial security; spending prioritisation and collaborative budgeting; time-management skills; self-esteem and skills development opportunities. Whilst the findings are localised, they do suggest that further research could be undertaken into the potentials of NSFAS to boost students’ soft skills development during their time within a higher education institution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of South African Journal of Higher Education is the property of Sabinet Online Limited and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
| FullText | Links: – Type: pdflink Text: Availability: 0 |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 174222667 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: ASSESSING THE UTILITY OF THE NATIONAL STUDENT FINANCIAL AID SCHEME TOWARDS SKILLS DEVELOPMENT: A CASE OF A RURAL UNIVERSITY IN SOUTH AFRICA. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Mokgotho%2C+M%2E+G%2E%22">Mokgotho, M. G.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Njoko%2C+M%2E+B%2E%22">Njoko, M. B.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Burman%2C+C%2E+J%2E%22">Burman, C. J.</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22South+African+Journal+of+Higher+Education%22">South African Journal of Higher Education</searchLink>. Nov2023, Vol. 37 Issue 6, p76-91. 16p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: *<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Student+financial+aid%22">Student financial aid</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Self-esteem%22">Self-esteem</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Scholarships%22">Scholarships</searchLink><br />*<searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Universities+%26+colleges%22">Universities & colleges</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Rural+development%22">Rural development</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Soft+skills%22">Soft skills</searchLink> – Name: SubjectGeographic Label: Geographic Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22South+Africa%22">South Africa</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) was introduced in 1999 in South Africa to provide financial support for disadvantaged students through the provision of both loans and bursaries. This article reflects on the effects of the scheme on skills development within two faculties at the University of Limpopo. The research was undertaken in 2021 employing an exploratory qualitative methodology. A total of eighteen participants were purposively selected from two of the four faculties of the University of Limpopo. A semi-structured interview guide was utilised to elicit narrative data from all participating beneficiaries of the NSFAS. The narrative data were analysed using a thematic coding design and interpretations of the findings were subsequently made. The interpretation of the analysis focused on the effect of the NSFAS support on students’ skills development. The findings suggest that NSFAS funding contributed to the development of soft skills of beneficiaries which included financial security; spending prioritisation and collaborative budgeting; time-management skills; self-esteem and skills development opportunities. Whilst the findings are localised, they do suggest that further research could be undertaken into the potentials of NSFAS to boost students’ soft skills development during their time within a higher education institution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of South African Journal of Higher Education is the property of Sabinet Online Limited and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
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| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.20853/37-6-5952 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 16 StartPage: 76 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Student financial aid Type: general – SubjectFull: Self-esteem Type: general – SubjectFull: Scholarships Type: general – SubjectFull: Universities & colleges Type: general – SubjectFull: Rural development Type: general – SubjectFull: Soft skills Type: general – SubjectFull: South Africa Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: ASSESSING THE UTILITY OF THE NATIONAL STUDENT FINANCIAL AID SCHEME TOWARDS SKILLS DEVELOPMENT: A CASE OF A RURAL UNIVERSITY IN SOUTH AFRICA. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Mokgotho, M. G. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Njoko, M. B. – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Burman, C. J. IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 11 Text: Nov2023 Type: published Y: 2023 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 10113487 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 37 – Type: issue Value: 6 Titles: – TitleFull: South African Journal of Higher Education Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
