South Africa’s Department of Higher Education has deregistered four private colleges amid allegations of mismanagement and fabrication of information, including results.
Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande told journalists late Tuesday that his ministry had cancelled the registration licenses of the four Educor Holdings-run colleges – Damelin, CityVarsity, Icesa City Campus and Lyceum College over various allegations of mismanagement.
“In particular, the Educor institutions have failed to submit their annual financial statements and the tax clearance certificates for the 2021 and 2022 years as proof of their financial viability. We are now moving into the 2023 cycle,” the minister said.
He said the four institutions have ignored two requests by the ministry to submit their audit reports, the first one of which was 26 September 2023, which was extended to 28 February 2024.
“In addition to failing to submit evidence of their financial viability to the Department, the four Educor brands can be deemed as dysfunctional and this is mainly measured against the daily complaints and grievances received from students, most of which remain unresolved.”
Educor is also accused of inflating enrolment numbers to attract students.
According to the minister, the four colleges have a total enrolment of just over 13,000 students whereas the group claims to have 50,000 learners in its system.
He said the group, which runs educational institutions on more than 60 campuses in South Africa and internationally, has been given until the end of the year to cease operations.
JN/APA