Mancosa grows graduates, many of them women

IT WAS a joyful day for more than 2 000 Management College of Southern Africa (Mancosa) graduates, who travelled from all over Africa to receive their hard-earned qualifications at the recent graduation ceremony at the Durban International Convention Centre.

The arena was packed with graduates, families and friends to congratulate those who walked tall as their names were called on the podium.

Mancosa, a private distanceeducation institution, has increased its graduation rate to the extent that the ceremony had to be divided into three sessions.

It has seven southern African regional operation hubs, with Durban the main campus.

The occasion saw the largest attendance since the college was founded in 1995.

The management college executive education aims to offer innovative insight and professional training to nurture the talent required by organisations to get ahead.

The qualifications offered range from higher certificates to post-graduate degrees with the focus on management studies.

The principal, Professor Yusuf Karodia, expressed his gratitude and congratulated the graduates.

He said the occasion was well organised for such a large attendance.

“This is our biggest graduation so far. We normally have two sessions, but because of the 25% increase this year, we had to make it longer,” he said.

Karodia revealed that of the quarter increase, a fifth were women graduates.

He said this was because the institution took pride in making available master’s programmes that women, young and old, could manage while also finding the time to take care of their households.

“Mancosa plays a vital role in empowering disadvantaged individuals who are in need of affordable, accessible, quality and accredited programmes.”

Karodia said it was confusing that public institutions were charging far higher fees than the private sector.

“In our research we discovered this was the case. In the past, disadvantaged people battled to gain access to higher education in the public sector.

“We are proud to offer qualifications that are recognised locally and internationally. Our graduates hold high-level management positions in various companies, which shows the quality of education we are providing,” said Karodia.

He added that the college envisioned being the leading distance-education provider, responsive to the evolving education and training needs of dynamic economies.

It was quality-driven and offered management, master’s and post-graduate courses.

The head of Mancosa’s business school, Dr Zaheer Hamid, said the institution enabled students to study and work at the same time.

“We have a strong student support system which ensures students get their work done and complete their qualifications in good time.

“This helps students qualify quickly and become able to contribute meaningfully to the economy,” said Hamid.