By Sharon Kawenga:
The government has warned the public against enrolling with unaccredited tertiary institutions.
In a joint statement by National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) and the Technical, Entrepreneurial and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TEVETA) qualifications obtained from such colleges will not be recognised for employment, professional registration or further studies in the country.
The warning follows joint compliance inspections the two institutions conducted in which they uncovered several institutions operating without legal authorisation.
The inspections also revealed that some colleges are offering foreign qualifications,particularly from the Business Management Education Centre (UK), which offers business and management programmes, and the American Institute of Extended Studies (US), offering education, business and professional development programmes were not recognised in the country.
NCHE is the government regulator responsible for accrediting and monitoring public and private universities and higher education institutions, while TEVETA regulates technical, entrepreneurial, and vocational education and training institutions across the country.
The two authorities have formally advised that qualifications from the named foreign awarding bodies are not recognised locally and cannot be used in the civil service, private sector employment, professional bodies or as entry requirements into accredited universities and colleges.
“Any qualifications obtained from such unapproved institutions will not be recognised for employment, professional registration or further studies in Malawi,” ,reads part of the statement.
The regulators have since stressed that students, parents, and guardians must verify the accreditation status of both an institution and its specific programmes before enrolling or paying any fees.
Operating an educational institution without registration and programme accreditation is a violation of the law, the authorities said, warning that institutions found in breach risk closure and prosecution of their administrators.
NCHE and TEVETA maintain updated registers on their websites of accredited universities and technical colleges to help the public make informed decisions and avoid investing in invalid qualifications
