The Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Nobuhle Nkabane, has announced the provisional reinstatement of Educor's registration, subject to stringent conditions to ensure the institution's compliance with accreditation standards.
The minister said Educor must fully meet the Council on Higher Education (CHE) accreditation requirements before resuming any teaching and learning activities. This compliance is essential to maintain the quality and integrity of its educational programmes.
As part of the reinstatement conditions, Educor must submit monthly reports to the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET).
These reports must include detailed financial statements, student enrolment statistics, and updates on their progress in meeting CHE accreditation standards.
The quarterly reports should particularly focus on the financial health of Educor. The financial statements must demonstrate transparency and adherence to sound financial management practices. Any significant financial concerns must be reported immediately to the Department.
The decision to provisionally reinstate Educor has been made on humanitarian grounds, with the primary aim of minimising disruption to the education and prospects of currently enrolled students. However, this reinstatement does not stop any legal proceedings involving Educor, nor does it waive the Department’s regulatory powers under the Higher Education Act.
Furthermore, the provisional reinstatement does not in any way waive the Department’s rights and powers entrusted to it in terms of the Higher Education Act or invalidate the legal proceedings that the parties were involved in.
The Minister has reserved the right to revoke the provisional reinstatement if Educor fails to comply with the stipulated conditions or if any further non-compliance is identified.
The Minister reserves the right to revoke this provisional reinstatement should Educor fail to adhere to the stipulated conditions or if any further non-compliance is detected.
How We Got Here
Former Minister Blade Nzimande revoked the registration of Damelin, Lyceum, City Varsity, and Icesa City Campus, effectively prohibiting these colleges from enrolling new students.
The minister explained that while the law permits the establishment of private colleges and higher education institutions, these entities must be both registered and accredited to operate legally.
Accreditation ensures the quality of the courses offered, while registration focuses on the financial stability of the institution to safeguard students from being disadvantaged if a college closes mid-course.
Nzimande explained that the registration of these colleges was cancelled due to significant compliance failures. Specifically, the institutions failed to submit their annual financial statements and tax clearance certificates for 2021 and 2022, which are crucial for demonstrating financial viability.
