The Minister of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture (MEIYSAC) says the ministry is aiming to pay outstanding student non-tuition fees by mid-July.

In a ministerial statement in the National Assembly, Sanet Steenkamp acknowledged the frustration and inconvenience experienced by students over the delays in payment, saying the ministry regrets the anxiety caused as a result. 

The ministry held extensive meetings with Higher Education Institutions, TVET centres and student bodies over the outstanding payment. 

Dr Steenkamp says this was done to ensure that no student is disadvantaged, noting that students' institutions have been requested not to deny students access to classes, examinations and academic results.

"Further more, government has advanced an additional N$247 million to NSFAF to support the accelerated processing of student payments, with disbursements expected to commence this week." 

With respect to the delays in the disbursement of non-tuition allowances, Steenkamp noted that historic and far-reaching reforms were introduced under tight implementation timelines.

"While governments have successfully ensured the subsidisation of registration as well as tuition fees, the processing of the non-tuition payments only commenced in April this year, at the same time that the invoices were received from the higher education institutions. And as a response, mechanisms have since been strengthened to accelerate the verification as well as the payment processes with the aim of finalising outstanding non-tuition allowances for qualifying continuing students by mid-July 2026."

With regard to human resource and institutional capacity constraints as a result of the reintegration of NSFAF into the ministry, several interventions have been implemented to strengthen efficiency and ensure seamless fund processing.

"These include the redeployment of personnel within NSFAF, the approval of an additional 25 staff members to support operations and the strengthening of internal verification and payment teams as well as enhanced coordination with institutions and stakeholders." 

The minister called on all affected students to remain calm as the government's collective focus remains on safeguarding the academic progress, dignity and future of every Namibian student.