Edu department wants Oval College closed

Private college Oval International Computer Education is appealing a decision by the Department of Higher Education and Training that will result in the institution closing its doors in 2018.

The 28-year-old institute has colleges in Durban, Pietermaritzburg, Cape Town and Johannesburg, with around 1 000 students enrolled in programmes such as bachelors of commerce and information technology. 

According to Oval, the dispute concerns a misunderstanding regarding the National Qualifications Framework level of accreditation for the college’s programmes which has become a crisis for the institute.

In 2016, the Council on Higher Education withdrew the accreditation of all programmes approved to Oval except the certificate in computers and management.

DHET director general Gwebinkundla Qonde, said the reason they cancelled the institution's registration is due to the failure to comply with condition 1.1 of registration, providing false, fraudulent and misleading information. 

He confirmed that Oval intends to review the Council on Higher Education’s decision to withdraw its accreditation in the North Gauteng High Court. 

Oval attorney, Richard Donachie said while the accreditation challenge might take some time to resolve, there is no need to close the college.