Big changes coming for schools in South Africa
Umalusi has reiterated that there are no accredited online schools that are able to offer the National Senior Certificate (NSC) in South Africa, but there are documents being finalised that might change this.
Unisa recently announced the launch of the Unisa Open School (UOS), an online secondary offering Grade 10 and 11.
Unisa added that the UOS is registered with the South African Comprehensive Assessment Insitute (SACAI).
“Given SACAI’s accreditation with Umalusi, the UOS learners who write and pass the NSC examination in Grade 12 will be issued a National Senior Certificate by Umalusi,” it said.
Following this announcement, however, Umalusi warned parents to be cautious.
On Thursday (5 September), in response to the announcement of UOS, Umalusi noted it does not accredit online schools.
“Umalusi cannot attest to the quality of provision and assessment, including the School Based Assessment (SBA) component of the NSC, at any institution that Umalusi, including online schools, does not accredit.
“Registration with an accredited assessment body does not mean that the online school itself is accredited,” it said.
Speaking on the matter, Biki Lepota, the senior manager of public relations and communications at Umalusi, noted that parents are advised to check with the IEB or SACAI to ensure the institutions are registered.
However, he added that while the regulatory body accredits no online school, that does not mean this will remain the case in the near future.
“We want to make the public aware of the fact that, currently, there is no law that regulates online schools in South Africa,” said Lepota.
He explained that for an accredited assessment body to take an online school under its purview, it needs to approach Umalusi with a request to have such a school granted a concession to administer the NSC examinations.
He said Umalusi has granted no such concessions to any online school in the country.
“However, as we speak, the Department of Basic Education is working tirelessly to finalise a document which would govern how online schools need to be registered and accredited by Umalusi in the country,” he added.
The confusion
In June 2023, Umalusi, the Council for Quality Assurance in General and Further Education and Training raised concerns regarding the accreditation of online schools in South Africa.
Umalusi cautioned parents and learners to ensure that the online schools they enrolled in were properly accredited to provide quality education in line with national standards.
Umalusi stressed that many institutions were operating without proper accreditation, potentially compromising the quality of education offered.
This concern stemmed from the growing number of students turning to online schooling, particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic, as many saw it as a flexible alternative to traditional schooling.
Umalusi’s warnings sparked widespread concerns among parents, who worried about whether their children’s education was being delivered by recognized institutions.
The issue also prompted questions about how learners could verify the legitimacy of the schools they were attending and the implications for their future qualifications.
In response, Brainline, a well-established provider of online schooling in South Africa, it is registered with the IEB, which is registered with Umalusi, giving its courses credence.
The University of Cape Town’s Online School has also noted its National Senior Certificate is accredited by private assessor, SACAI, under license from Umalusi.
The groups said this confusion is due to the lack of a legal framework for recognising online schools in accreditation terms.
“It is important to clarify that online schools in the country are not recognised or regulated by the current legislation governing traditional brick-and-mortar institutions – but that this does not affect the validity of the qualifications provided by legitimate online schools,” Brainline said.
“While the current legal framework for schools in South Africa pertains specifically to physical institutions, it is crucial to note that Brainline is registered with the Independent Examination Board (IEB), which is in turn registered with Umalusi.
“This registration ensures that Brainline adheres to rigorous academic standards and assessment practices, offering an accredited and high-quality educational experience for students.”
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