Four private institutions under Educor have been deregistered by the Department of Higher Education and Training, impacting countless students.

The cancellation of registration for City Varsity (Pty) Ltd, Damelin (Pty) Ltd, Icesa City Campus (Pty) Ltd, and Lyceum College (Pty) Ltd was announced by Higher Education, Science, and Innovation Minister, Dr. Blade Nzimande, during a media briefing in Pretoria on Tuesday.

Nzimande highlighted that these institutions failed to meet the financial viability requirements mandated by the 2016 Regulations for the Registration of Private Higher Education Institutions and the relevant sections of the Higher Education Act. This failure to comply resulted in their deregistration.

The Minister emphasized that students bore the brunt of these institutions’ shortcomings, which included issues such as substandard teaching quality, inadequate administrative support, unqualified staff, instances of corruption, unresolved complaints, and various forms of exploitation.

Additionally, complaints extended to related brands like INTEC College (Pty) Ltd and Damelin Correspondence College (Pty) Ltd, under the oversight of the Quality Council of Trades and Occupations (QCTO), as well as programs accredited by Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs).

Nzimande pointed out discrepancies in reported student enrollments, revealing that the actual numbers were significantly lower than claimed by the institutions. Closure of some institution sites due to financial mismanagement left students stranded, unable to continue their studies.

As a response, Nzimande outlined steps to phase out current students and ensure reimbursement where appropriate. However, challenges lie ahead for affected students, including credit transfers and potential additional fees due to module repetitions.

A total of 13 000 students from the four institutions, who are still in the system, will be affected. Educor has been given until the end of 2025 to phase out these students.