‘Educor’s silence speaks to company’s larger structural failures’

The South African Union of Students (SAUS) says Educor’s silence on the fate of its students speaks to the larger structural failures of the company.

There’s been no word from Educor management to its staff or students following confirmation that four of its privately-owned institutions had been deregistered by the Department of Higher Education.

Damelin College, CityVarsity, Lyceum and Icesa are scheduled to shutdown their doors by the end of next year for non-compliance and alleged financial mismanagement.

The Minister has also accused the institutions of misrepresenting student enrolment by submitting incorrect information, which claimed to have 50 000 learners in the system.

The company has, however, been given until October to appeal the decision.

Speaking with YNews, SA Union of Students Spokesperson, Asive Dlanjwa, described Educor’s lack of response as a demonstration of the crisis that students are dealing with.

On calls for the struggling Educor-owned institutions to be nationalised and absorbed by the government, Dlanjwa says such a move is not the solution.

Instead, he says, the government should work alongside the private sector to facilitate the renewal of the colleges.

Thousands of students who attend the beleaguered colleges have been left in limbo since the news broke, with many concerned they may not be re-reimbursed for their tuition – should Educor not appeal government’s decision. 

The DA has described withdrawal of the institutions’ accreditation as a blow to the private higher education sector.

The official opposition has urged the Educor group to get its ducks in a row for the benefit of its 13 000 students.