The Deputy Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Mr. Buti Manamela, and officials of the department paid a visit to two private colleges in Pretoria.
Both colleges were registered but one of these institutions had an expired accreditation certificate.
Through a social media post on Facebook by DHET, the following was confirmed:
Bristol Training College (Pty) Ltd was registered in 2019 and indicated that it will start operating the second week of February 2022. The Deputy Minister established that Bristol Training Colleges (Pty) Ltd displayed an accreditation certificate issued by MICT SETA that expired in 2021.
The department has advised the college to remove the accreditation certificate from the notice board and marketing material of the private college.
Registered institutions have the legal obligation to ensure that the programmes and qualifications for which they seek to enrol are accredited and registered.
All programmes and qualifications offered by registered institutions should also be reflected as such against the name of each institution that appears in the registers.
To verify the registration of private colleges and private higher institutions, please consult the following channels:
- Department of Higher Education and Training official website: www.dhet.gov.za
- DHET Call Centre: 0800 87 2222
- SMS or send “Please Call Me”: 072 204 5056.
Potential students are urged to verify whether institutions are registered and the course that you intend on applying for whether it has been accredited.
The Deputy Minister said the public must not be misled by false advertisements which illegally promise internationally recognised qualifications.
