Dodgy qualifications clamp

Fraudulent institutions and individuals to be named and shamed

TOUGH action against institutions that provide fake qualifications and individuals who fraudulently claim they have recognised qualifications is planned by a government organisation.

Some institutions and individuals could be charged with fraud and jail terms imposed as a result, the SA Qualifications Authority (SAQA) said.

As a further punishment, those involved would be named and shamed in two proposed public registers.

SAQA – an official body appointed by the ministers of education and labour – said the registers would be updated as information was received from the police and would include finalised cases and sentences handed down by courts.

These details would be published on the SAQA website.

The authority released the Draft National Policy on the Misrepresentation of Qualifications for public comment on Friday.

But it said that unsuspecting victims of unscrupulous higher education institutions would not have their names published in the register for misrepresented qualifications and providers.

This was because such people were misled and ignorant of required accreditation.

This led to their being duped into investing time and money into what was later found to be unauthentic or unaccredited qualifications.

SAQA chief executive Joe Samuels was not available for comment yesterday.

But in the draft policy, the authority warns that dodgy qualifications – especially in senior positions – put the safety of citizens and employees, the long-term viability and profitability of organisations and service delivery in fraudsters’ hands.

SAQA said the stigma of being associated with fraudulent qualifications could lead to negative perceptions about the country, result in reputational damage in its skills development programme and in its world competitiveness.

The Quality Council for Trades and Occupations (QCTO), the Council on Higher Education and the Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training, Umalusi, will be required to investigate all suspected cases of misrepresentation of qualifications in the respective sub-frameworks and institutions it accredits.

The QCTO is responsible for crediting artisans.

In November, Higher Education and Training Minister Blade Nzimande published a bill to force all educational institutions and employers to report fraudulent qualifications to SAQA.

Higher Education and Training spokesman Madikwe Mabotha said the bill was still being processed.

The department will update the country on progress soon.