Civil Society Education Coalition (CSEC) has expressed concern over National Council for Higher Education’s (NCHE) decision not to accredit some private universities in the country.
Last week NCHE announced that it has revoked licences and withdrawn selected program accreditation of some of the private universities in Malawi.
However, in a press statement signed by its Executive Director Benedicto Kondowe and Board Chairperson Julie Juma CSEC said NCHE’S statement does not provide alternatives to students who were enrolled in the affected universities.
“The statements do not say anything on the status of the qualifications already obtained from the abandoned universities and programmes let alone what should happen to the graduates who have been recruited in government, statutory corporations, and the private sector having been disowned by NCHE,” said CSEC in a statement which Malawi24 has seen.
The organisation also faulted government and the regulatory body for sitting back and watching while the private colleges were mushrooming in the country.
The education NGO further blamed government for allowing private colleges to start operating before assessing them saying such an arrangement is faulty and awkward.
“Our considered view is that such an arrangement compels students to enrol with these institutions before they qualify for registration and this makes students and parents get ripped off of their hard earned money as is the situation currently.”
“Assuming that every Malawian can afford to spend on programmes that are unrecognised and later enrol on accredited ones is not only unwarranted but also not befitting a responsible and caring government,” the organisation said.
Meanwhile, CSEC has called on NCHE to be responsive and proactive to matters falling within its mandate and never allow otherwise minor challenges slowly graduate into crises that eventually become difficult to manage and repair.
The organisation has also reminded the country’s leadership to never to lose sight of the fact that their existence thrives on sustained trust from citizens who are normally worst affected by the slackened and business as usual approach to decision making.
Colleges which have not been accredited by NCHE or have had their degree programmes unaccredited include MCA, Blantyre International University (BIU), Skyway University (SU), Exploits University and the African Bible College (ABC).
NCHE needs staff reviewing, State owned Mca not accredited how???,accreditation being done annually now poor assessing skills, poly a 4yrs corse being completed in 6_7 what a shame yet accredited, @NCHE mapazi anu u r full of crap n bullshit may thunder strike you flat mumanditopesa, politics in the education sector, our economy is lost, BOSCOM supplying blackouts,2000k note., inflation mbweee,Educational crisis,NCHE failing to write proper English, @NCHE tizakuchosani ma batile be careful @ pumbwa inu mxiiiiieew
NCHE has banned private Universities in Malawi this year, where was it since their establishment? How can they be banned from operating now yet they have graduated many Malawians? This is just politics.
Business on businesses. .. This is just a threat that will not last long. Very soon after the NCHE officials are heavily pocketed, we will hear that the colleges have been re-opened !
My last expectation is to join with these institution after failing to enroll with public universities,may Allah Supahan Watala intervene in this siuation.
NCHE is not to blame on this issue but parents and students themselves for their failure to investigate whether the institutions are accredited because some of these have been accredited. I also question the CSOs for acting against NCHE which is safeguarding the Malawian citizens instead of taking to task the institutions for robbing many Malawians their hard earned money in exchange for substandard services.