It's that time of the year where matriculants want to be admitted into institutions of higher learning and it is during this time where bogus institutions take advantage of the unsuspecting and desperate students. The Minister of Higher Education and Training Dr. Blade Nzimande has warned students to be vigilant and do the relevant checks when it comes to applying for tertiary studies.

Nzimande said students waste their time and their parents' money on these bogus institutions only to discover later that their courses and certificates are not accredited. "These institutions lure and mislead future students into believing that these colleges offer qualifications that are recognised by the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA). These illegal colleges offer compromised qualifications that are not recognised for employment purposes or for further studying," he said.

Nzimande said the Department will be working closely with law enforcement to trace the bogus institutions and ensure that they are shutdown. "Students must directly contact the relevant SETA or SAQA, or to check the registration status of the private college with the department. Alternatively, students can log on to the website of the department where the ?Register of Private Colleges' is published and updated on a regular basis. The website address is www.dhet.gov.za/resources/registers.

Meanwhile Democratic Nursing Organization of South Africa (DENOSA), spokesperson Sibongiseni Delihlazo said the majority of students who get scammed are those applying for nursing qualifications. "Many South Africa's public nursing colleges would have closed applications for the 2024 academic year in 2023 already. Secondly, every institution of higher learning that offers legitimate nursing studies must by law, be registered and accredited by the South African Nursing Council (SANC), which is the country's regulatory body for nursing. Many of these unregistered institutions know that young people are now frantically looking for a place to study, so they tend to just take the first college that looks interesting and offers some of the courses that they may be interested in. It is very important for young people to do their homework in terms of what to look out for when making big life choices," said Delihlazo.