People’s hands holding flyers warning of bogus colleges Warnings have been issued on bogus colleges which exploit students who are seeking affordable education and credible qualifications. File Picture: Independent Newspapers Archives
The prevalence of unregistered education institutions in South Africa continues to be a challenge despite the country’s robust regulatory framework for higher education.
Warnings have been issued on these institutions which exploit students who are seeking affordable education and credible qualifications.
Professor Labby Ramrathan from the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN) said: "Unregistered institutions will continue to exist as long as there is demand from potential students," he explains.
He added that the economic struggles faced by many South Africans push them towards seemingly legitimate, cheaper opportunities, despite being warned that these institutions may be fraudulent.
Ramrathan added that these bogus institutions exploit the vulnerabilities of individuals, but he believed that they do not compromise the integrity of legitimate institutions.
"For the majority of people and employers, they are aware of these bogus institutions and would not consider them legitimate," he says.
He also highlighted the critical role of South Africa’s accrediting systems and said students should make use of these to ensure that institutions they apply at are accredited.
"We have a well-developed and robust post-school accrediting system that the public has access to."
Another issue Ramrathan raised was that the false expectations created by the National Senior Certificate (NSC) examination system.
"The country does not have the capacity to accommodate most learners who complete their NSC examinations in post-school study programmes, yet we continue to categorise the NSC certificates into Higher Certificate, Diploma, and Bachelor pass grades," he said.
The DA said bogus colleges cause untold harm to students and their families
Desiree van der Walt, the DA deputy spokesperson on Higher Education said: "The losses are severe, considering the time and money spent to register and possibly move to attend the bogus institutions, not to mention the emotional trauma of having one’s expectations ripped away."
She added that while the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) maintains a list of private colleges and private higher institutions that are fully registered and operating legally, the issue continues to plague students.
Van der Walt stressed the need for more robust implementation of existing laws.
"No matter the legislation or penalties in South Africa, implementation can always be strengthened. It is important that all cases of fraud be reported to the police and the Department if there is to be any hope of catching and deterring such criminals," she says.
The DA said it has proposed several measures to address the issue. These include increasing awareness campaigns and introducing harsher penalties for those operating without accreditation. The party has also established a help desk in Deputy Minister Dr Mimmy Gondwe’s office to assist students in verifying institutions.
Professor Jabulani Nyoni from UNISA underscored the systemic issues enabling the operation of unregistered institutions. He said regulatory gaps, weak penalties, and public awareness deficits were the main challenges.
"Inadequate enforcement of registration requirements and insufficient monitoring create opportunities for unregistered institutions to operate," he explains.
Nyoni warned of the long-term implications of unregistered institutions for South Africa’s education system and job market. He said that these institutions often provide substandard education, leaving graduates ill-prepared and unemployable.
"Graduates from unregistered institutions may hold qualifications that are not recognised, limiting their employment opportunities and perpetuating high unemployment rates.
"The continued operation of these institutions undermines confidence in the higher education system, making stakeholders sceptical about the validity of qualifications in the job market," he said.
To combat these issues, Nyoni suggested reforms such as strengthening regulatory enforcement, increasing public awareness, and implementing stricter legal consequences for operating without registration.
"Launching nationwide initiatives to educate prospective students on how to verify institutional accreditation through official government platforms is crucial," he said.
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