Mashaba calls on government to shut down bogus schools

ActionSA leader Herman Mashaba has called on education ministers Blade Nzimande and Angie Motshekga to clamp down on bogus schools allegedly run by illegal foreign nationals in SA.

Mashaba expressed concern about bogus schools after an SABC News video exposing such schools was circulated on social media.  

“Due to the failure of government schools in SA I am getting concerned about a number of private schools run by foreign nationals employing foreign teachers. This matter must be confronted and investigated to establish their status. Victims — our poor desperate SA,” he said.

Mashaba wrote to Nzimande and Motshekga requesting them to investigate the allegations.

“As we all know SA’s education system is fundamentally dysfunctional and unequal. While access to education may have increased since 1994 the quality of education remains too low to empower the nation,” said Mashaba in a statement.

“We are ranked among the worst-performing schooling systems in the world. To that end we are in no position to allow illegality and further deterioration to collapse the system.”

Mashaba questioned Nzimande and Motshekga’s knowledge of bogus schools and why they have not been shut down. He also questioned the role of the SA Democratic Teachers’ Union (Sadtu). 

“We have asked the ministers to respond to our letters informing South Africans whether their ministry is aware of the allegations in the public domain regarding these illegal high schools and, if so, what steps the department has taken to bring those involved to book.

“No self-respecting country would allow such a situation to go unattended. It is high time that the rule of law is restored in our country to ensure that such criminality ceases to exist,” he said. 

Last year, Nzimande ordered a probe into bogus honorary degrees after media personality Shauwn Mkhize was awarded a doctorate in philosophy by the unregistered Good Shepherd College of Religion, Culture and Training. 

Nzimande appealed to members of the public to be cautious and not accept such qualifications. 

“I have requested the Council of Higher Education to investigate and advise on appropriate action on all the reported cases of the awarding of these bogus honorary degrees.” 

He asked prospective students to verify the legality of any programme or course offered by institutions before enrolling to avoid falling prey to illegal operations.

Students should consult the registers of private higher institutions and private colleges, which can be found on the department of higher education & training website.