Beware of bogus institutions

IT is through understanding the terminology related to the National Qualifications Framework (NQF ) and accreditation and registration that one can avoid abuse by bogus education providers. That’s according to Dr Felicity Coughlan, director of The Independent Institute of Education.

In a statement she said: “Terminology related to education in South Africa can be confusing, particularly when learners and prospective students need to consider the (NQF) and talk of accreditation and registration. It’s important that prospective students get to grips with the terminology.”

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If an education institution cannot provide a prospective student with a programme’s NQF ID, it is then not a South African qualification.

However, even when an institution does provide an NQF ID, one should still verify it independently by searching for it on https://regqs.saqa.org.za/

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“Look up the qualification and check its level and credit value, as well as information about what it covers. You can then compare that information to the marketing material given to you by the training provider to make sure that the promises and reality match.”

Coughlan says that qualifications will only get registered on the NQF if they have been checked for quality and accredited by the Quality Council with the statutory responsibility for doing this.
“As always, it is crucial for prospective students to thoroughly investigate all their options, to ensure they find the best fit for themselves in terms of location, campus, and offering.”

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