• The Independent Institute of Education (IIE) says it wants to help students affected by the Educor deregistering by the Department of Higher Education this week.
• Students from affected Educor colleges can join IIE colleges from as early as the second semester.
• If the credits of affected Educor students match IIE modules, these credits will contribute to reduced fees.

After the Department of Higher Education and Training revoked the higher education registration of four Educor private college brands in South Africa, including Damelin, the Independent Institute of Education (IIE) says that it can help students left in the lurch.

Higher Education Minister Blade Nzimande said that the four Educor colleges must cease operations immediately, reimburse their students and find out ways to ensure that the students can continue their studies at other institutions.

The IIE says in an emailed statement to Hypertext that it can help students from the Educor schools to continue their studies at IIE institutions, including Varsity College, MSA, Vega, and Rosebank College.

“We stand by the Educor students and are committed to supporting them in successfully completing their qualification,” says Shevon Lurie, Director of The Independent Institute of Education.

“We understand the uncertainty and concern facing affected students,” Lurie added. The director believes that thousands will be affected by the deregistering of the Educor colleges. According to Nzimande, around 13 000 learners are enrolled in Educor colleges in South Africa.

According to Lurie, the IIE has now set up a centralised process and will be putting queries through the Registrar’s office so that former Educor students can be advised quickly and correctly by IIE advisors. The IIE says it is prepared to accommodate the students in its colleges as of the second semester this year.

Lurie says that the financial circumstances and academic transcript of affected Educor students will be reviewed holistically.

The IIE says that the process to onboard affected students will be as follows:

“Support for students will be assessed at an individual level given the variables at play,” the institute explains.

First, courses will be transferred. The IIE says it will look for similar qualification and NQF level in the chosen field of study. Affected students must of course also meet the institute’s admission criteria.

“The IIE will guide students through the necessary channels and steps to ensure they are fully informed. Given that we are already halfway through the first semester transfers will be facilitated for Semester 2,” it adds.

Each affected students will be part of an academic credit mapping exercise. “This will entail assessing the overlap between modules that the student has passed with similar modules on the transfer qualification. If there is sufficient alignment, an academic credit/s is granted and the student is exempt from the relevant module,” it says.

If affected Educor students have similar credits, for example from Damelin or City Varsity, and IIE credits are granted, the IIE says it will also provide fee credits. That means affected students need only pay for modules that were uncredited, reducing the overall fee cost.

“Our focus is to support former Educor students to successfully obtain their qualification, without extending their study period wherever possible,” says Lurie.

The director says affected Educor students can contact the IIE about options to transfer on this email.

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