College allegedly abandons students without qualifications
Learners at OTESA Entrepreneur Academy situated at Tzaneen showground have been left in the lurch after the school closed without paying them what they were promised.
OTESA offers entrepreneur scholarship and has campuses in Johannesburg, Mookgophong, Coligny and recently opened the Tzaneen campus.
They offer their learners entrepreneurial skills (including agriculture), sales and marketing, handling of business administration, drawing business plans, good leadership, money management and project management.
A learner who spoke to Herald on condition of anonymity claimed they signed contracts stating that they will be given a monthly stipend of R3500.
The student said they were later told they will be paid all the money once they have completed their 12- month course.
“We have not received the promised stipends or our certificates,” said the student.
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What pains the students the most is that they cannot register for the special Covid-19 Social Relief of Distress Grant or National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS), the student said.
“The system rejects us stating that we are receiving some sort of funding elsewhere meanwhile we have not even received a cent.”
“They were also told that the money will be paid as a lumpsum to assist them to start their own businesses.”
The student said during the course they were given Gogo washing powder to sell in order to make money for transport.
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After they had finished their courses they were allegedly told the academy will send their certificates and UI19 forms (forms used by employers to submit particulars of their employees to the fund’s database) via email.
“What came as a surprise when we went to the Department of Labour we were told that we do not qualify because we have terminated our contracts. “They lied on the forms saying we have cancelled without stating reasons,” he said.
According to him the students’ contracts were terminated without their consent and knowledge. At the time of going to print OTESA had not responded to the allegations made by the learners.
