Minister of Higher Education, Science and Technology. Picture: Chris Collingridge 484
News reports that as many as 13 000 students have been left destitute as a result of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) should be a cause for concern for all South Africans, say education experts.
Education activist Hendrik Makaneta, said the recent decision by the DHET was a huge blow to all the affected students.
“There is no doubt that even the parents of affected students are devastated by the deregistration of the Educor colleges. We, as activists in the terrain of education, are equally saddened by the fact that 13 000 students are left destitute.”
“Of course, we have no option but to uphold and support the decision, which is informed by the legal requirements at DHET, however, we urge the government to work around the clock to ensure that all the affected students are registered with relevant institutions so that they too can create a future for themselves.”
The DA’s Chantel King urged the minister and the department to take Educor’s demise as a lesson to tackle similar concerns at public higher education and the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) to root out the precedent of flouting laws and rules without fear of consequence management.
Especially as King stressed that the recent collapse of private institutions had highlighted the importance of reviewing the Higher Education Act to fully comply with the White Paper of Higher Education.
Earlier this week the department announced that the Educor group colleges which include City Varsity (Pty) Ltd, Damelin (Pty) Ltd, Icesa City Campus (Pty) Ltd and Lyceum College (Pty) Ltd had been formally deregistered.
Minister Blade Nzimande explained during a briefing in Pretoria that the deregistration came after Educor institutions failed to submit proof of their financial viability to the department.
According to Nzimande, the four private institutions failed to comply with the requirements of the 2016 Regulations for the Registration of Private Higher Education Institutions and the applicable sections of the Higher Education Act.
The new regulations outline the application process, requirements for registration, responsibility of an institution and the appeals procedure that must be followed by individuals or entities that wish to register a private higher education institution.
As it is Nzimande added that the institutions had also failed to submit their annual financial statements and tax clearance certificates for 2021 and 2022 to indicate their financial viability.
They further failed to lodge an appeal before the deadline of September 26, 2023.
Educor now has until October to appeal the deregistration and get its ducks in a row for the benefit of its 13 000 students.
Saturday Star
goitsemang.mstlhabe@inl.co.za