Government has warned parents to ensure their children are registered with an accredited learning institution, following an increase in the number of unregistered online colleges and schools in SA.
With hundreds of school pupils in SA still unplaced, and higher learning institutions currently enrolling students, the Department of Basic Education (DBE) and Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET) say they have observed an increase in unscrupulous institutions, as the education sector moves away from the traditional schooling model to an online-based curriculum.
The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdowns prompted an explosion in online learning programmes in SA and across the globe.
The school closures during the initial stages of the pandemic reportedly led to an estimated half of the world’s youth not attending schools or universities, resulting in education institutions looking at virtual teaching tools − such as automated development platforms, learning management systems and virtual classrooms − as alternatives.
Gauteng education spokesperson Steve Mabona tells ITWeb: “As a department, we can confirm we are experiencing a number of unregistered [physical] schools and online schools that are mushrooming, and as such, parents need to be vigilant and be on the lookout for those schools that are not registered with the department.
“When in doubt, parents need to check if the school is accredited by the South African Council of Educators and they need to analyse the curriculum offered.”
Mabona says parents must request a certificate of registration, which can be verified with the department.
Two weeks ago, Gauteng education MEC Panyaza Lesufi reassured parents that all the province's 700 unplaced learners would be placed at schools by the end of this month.
As a result of inward migration, Gauteng alone reportedly has a critical shortage of schools – requiring another hundred new schools to accommodate the rising demand.
This plight has also led to more parents turning to online education, which currently falls under the category of home schooling in SA.
In an interview with eNCA, DHET spokesperson Ishmael Mnisi said the department is currently probing fake colleges, amid an increase in fake online honours and doctorate degrees.
“The consequences can be dire – once the investigations show it is an unscrupulous college, we close it immediately and then a criminal case is opened with the South African Police Services. We have filed cases against 89 bogus colleges with the police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation in the US.”
According to the DHET, online programmes offered by higher learning private institutions must be registered with the department, accredited by the Higher Education Quality Committee of the Council on Higher Education, and registered on the National Qualifications Framework by the South African Qualifications Authority (SACAI). The programmes must be recognised nationally as well as internationally.
Regulatory quagmire
Josine Overdevest, founder and MD of educator training and coaching organisation Flying Cows of Jozi, and non-executive director of IITPSA, says currently 100% of online schools fall in a policy gap in SA, as the policy framework for online education is still in the draft phase.
“The DBE has developed a draft framework for the establishment of online schools, both public and private, but this is still under review by provincial education departments and not shared widely yet. We can’t speak of ‘unregistered’ online schools or ‘registering’ online schools since there is no policy that guides formal registration yet.”
Overdevest adds her organisation has seen many parents turning to online schools, as they find flexibility and it potentially provides a more organised form of home schooling.
Robert Paddock, founder and CEO of 100% online high school Valenture Institute, states while there is a regulation gap in SA’s online schooling system, the law is clear.
“While there are currently no specific guidelines that govern online schools, it does not mean there is no legislation that can guide online schools in their current set-up and provision of learning.
“The South African Schools Act does not specifically contemplate an independent school as being a brick-and-mortar school, nor does it rigidly prescribe the modality of independent schools.
“Legally, in South Africa, online schools currently fall into the category of home schooling, but in substance, online schooling is very different to most home schooling. The need for online schooling in South Africa has been recognised by the DBE, which has recently published for comment its draft e-Education Guidelines: Virtual Schools.”
Paddock believes SA has a “desperate need” for alternative, quality school options. Valenture Institute, which forms part of the University of Cape Town’s (UCT’s) online school, has already had over 10 500 learners apply to join the UCT Online High School in January 2022.
UCT Online High School is also accredited by the South African Comprehensive Assessment Institute to ensure the quality of its educational offering.
According to Overdevest, parents should look out for several red flags when registering their children for online education: they should check if the school is part of an established home schooling organisation and it should be part of a formally-registered school in terms of the South African Schools Act.
“In the case of a Further Education and Training Institution, it should be registered with an examination board like SACAI or the Independent Examinations Board, to enable learners to write the National Senior Certificate issued by Umalusi,” concludes Overdevest.
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