There is a worrying trend that some of our private higher education institutions simply choose to disregard the law pertaining to being registered and offering accredited qualifications, writes Mimmy Gondwe.
There is no doubt that there is room for private higher education in our country. This is not just a matter of preference but it is also a matter of necessity. Moreover, the law allows for these institutions of private higher education.
At present South Africa has 26 public universities and 50 technical vocational education and training (TVET) colleges. According to the 2022 statistics, there were 107 7768 students in South African universities, an increase of just less than 1% from the previous year.
Enrolments at TVET colleges for the 2024 academic year were standing at around 408 000, with about 167 000 being new students.
Private higher education institutions (HEIs) play a significant role in this regard. The 2022 statistics on post-school education and training (PSET) revealed that graduates from private HEIs reached 57 302 in 2022, an increase of 5% (2 751) when compared with 54 551 in 2021.
Students’ right to choose
This number may be small in comparison to that of public institutions. But it is in keeping with the global trend whereby the knowledge economy has placed a high demand for higher education qualifications, resulting in the proliferation of private HEIs.
As already stated, private higher education allows for those who prefer to take the option available to them and learn in spaces and circumstances they regard as most suitable.
I am unequivocal in my support of this right for students to choose private or public HEIs.
Section 29 (3) of the Constitution states that “everyone has the right to establish and maintain, at their own expense, independent institutions”.
Section 29 (3) c further states that such institutions must maintain standards that are not inferior to standards at comparable public educational institutions.
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All that said, it is a worrying trend that some of our private HEIs simply choose to disregard the law pertaining to being registered and offering accredited qualifications.
It is unfortunate that each year, parents and students find out well after they have paid their hard-earned money that the institution they have enrolled in is not registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training, or the qualification they offer is not worth the paper it is written on.
In some instances, the institution is bogus and nothing more than a criminal enterprise intent on making money at the expense of poor students.
At least three things emerge from what has been mentioned here.
Goodwill
The first one is that entities that are genuinely interested in providing higher education to South African students must demonstrate their goodwill by complying with the laws of the country and the regulations governing the sector.
It is for the sector’s own good name that it becomes jealous about who can be regarded as private higher education provider and who should not.
The sector needs to encourage its own members to ensure that they are compliant. In the event that they find compliance onerous, they should be able to lobby policymakers and suggest solutions to areas they regard as problematic.
Secondly, the sector must be open and transparent about what they are able and accredited to offer. It is cruel to make a student spend months (even years) and money on a worthless piece of paper no employer takes seriously as an academic certificate or diploma.
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Those institutions in the private higher education sector that are complying with the law and the regulations cannot simply shrug their shoulders and say this is not their problem.
It is their problem when the good name and good work that is done by this sector is undermined by those who prefer to cut corners. The sector must do what it can to protect the integrity of their own industry.
This starts with the industry setting standards that they expect anyone who gets into the sector to comply with, and have some kind of mechanism to enforce compliance and punish deviations from what is expected.
The third aspect is that parents and students should be a lot more careful and vigilant before they register with any HEI. Just because an entity calls itself a college, for example, it does not mean what it offers meets the academic or professional muster.
Desperation
Furthermore, a private HEI may be accredited to offer one or another programme but not have the mandate to provide a different qualification.
It is the responsibility of a private HEI to be upfront about what they are allowed by law or the relevant qualifications authority to offer. It is also the responsibility of the student or parent to ensure that a private HEI is allowed to offer what it says it provides.
Parents and students must not allow for their desperation to get into an institution of higher learning to be used by crooks to line their own pockets. It is best to treat any private HEI with circumspection.
Sometimes, it is better to have an unplanned gap year than to spend money on a year that, in the final analysis, did not accomplish anything academic.
To avoid this, students also need to apply in time to the public institutions of higher learning. In many cases, the desperation comes from having not applied and therefore not having secured a place at any of our public or private HEIs.
Contrary to any impression that may have been created, the Department of Higher Education and Training goes out of its way to help private institutions comply with the Higher Education Act, which regulates the sector.
This is done out of the recognition of the valued contribution that private HEIs make to the provision of higher education.
This is also done to ensure that students are not unduly compromised in the event that a private HEI is closed down due to non-compliance with the relevant legislation.
My appeal to the sector is that it should champion compliance with the law and relevant regulations.
While my appeal to the students and parents is that they should avoid rushing in and parting with their hard-earned money before being satisfied that they are investing their time and money in an institution that is compliant and meets the industry standards.
The Department of Higher Education and Training is available to assist any student or parent who is uncertain about whether a private HEI they are interested in, is registered with it.
If you need to confirm whether a private HEI is registered with the department, please go here.
– Dr Mimmy Gondwe is the deputy minister of higher education.
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