Police warn: don’t fall for bogus schools

AS THE new academic year approaches, the police are urging parents and guardians not to fall victim to bogus tertiary institutions or fake accommodation offers.

Free State provincial police spokesperson Sergeant Mahlomola Kareli said as the back-to-school rush has started, parents and guardians had to be vigilant when applying to or enrolling their children at various institutions.

He urged parents to be wary about higher learning institutions that have no campus or classes or taking up offers of accommodation without physically visiting the properties.

“Police in the Free State are pleading with parents or guardians not to deposit any cash into any account before they physically visit the school,” Kareli said.

Parents and guardians have also been urged to check out the legitimacy of tertiary institutions.

“To confirm if the institution of higher learning is registered and legitimate, please contact the Department of Higher Education and Training before you deposit any funds,” Kareli said.

Free State police commissioner Lieutenant-General Baile Motswenyane urged parents and guardians to trust their gut.

“These fly-by-night institutions and people who defraud guardians or parents of their savings with non-existing student accommodations must be reported. If you suspect something dodgy, it probably is fraud, and stay away from it,” Motswenyane said.

Last year, exam watchdog, Umalusi warned about the mushrooming of bogus online schools and the increase in the reported cases of fake certificates.

At the time it was working with the police on various cases in which unaccredited institutions had admitted students into non-existing programmes.