By Levy Masiteng
Damelin’s East London campus remains shut down, leaving students in shock and staff unpaid.
The private college closed the campus in August and there is no indication when it will be opened again.
Late last month Higher Education and Training Minister Nobuhle Nkabane announced that the department was provisionally reinstating the registration of the Educor private colleges, which included Damelin.
The department cancelled Educor’s registration in March over its failure to submit audited financial statements since 2020. The provisional reinstatement was purely on “humanitarian grounds” because more than 13,000 students were registered at Educor’s institutions.
The minister granted the college a chance for students to finish their 2024 academic year.
Educor was required to submit comprehensive monthly reports to the department. The reports must include detailed financial statements, student enrolment statistics and progress updates on compliance with the Council on Higher Education accreditation standards.
There are 120 students registered at the Damelin East London campus.
Damelin second-year student Refilwe Moloantoa told Inside Education that students were upset about the closure and needed answers. “The Department of Higher Education called that students should be given a chance to finish the 2024 academic year, yet I am confused why would they close the campus? “ she asked.
Students have been left in limbo as they do not know what to do next, especially those who are in second and final years.
Damelin had not replied to questions at the time of publishing.
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