Higher Education Act, 1997 (Act No. 101 of 1997)

Regulations

Regulations for the Registration of Private Higher Education Institutions, 2003

Annexure

Vision, Mission and Mandate of the Department of Education
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VISION

 

Our vision is of a South Africa in which all our people have access to lifelong education and training opportunities, which will in turn contribute towards improving quality of life and building a peaceful, prosperous and democratic society.

 

MISSION

To, provide leadership in the construction of a South African education and training system, for the 21st century.
 

MANDATE

 

The vision for the transformation of the higher education system is articulated in white Paper 3: A Programme for the Transformation of Higher Education (1997). Central to this vision is the budding of a rational, seamless higher education system that grasps the intellectual and professional challenges facing South Africans in the 21st century, and meets the learning needs of individuals and the development needs of our society and economy.

 

The building of such a system necessitates, among other things, the promotion of quality teaching and research, not only in public Universities and Technikons, but also in privately established institutions of higher learning. It is primarily for this reason that the Higher Education Act, 1997 (Act No. 101 of 1997) hereafter referred to as "the Act", makes it a requirement for private institutions offering higher education to register with the Department of Education (DOE).

 

The registration of private higher education institutions, in accordance with the Act, applies only to institutions that offer learning programmes that result in the awarding of whole qualifications such as certificates, diplomas or degrees at levels 5 to 8 of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). Registration, as required by the Act, means that an institution is granted the legal authority to offer accredited higher education programmes and qualifications. This requirement applies to all private institutions, be they local or foreign.

 

The aim of registering these institutions is to ensure that -

a)all registered private higher education institutions offer an acceptable quality of education;
b)current and prospective students receive higher education from institutions that have the resources, capacity and/or expertise to deliver quality programmes;
c)the public obtains qualifications that are w e d with the National Qualifications Framework; and
d)the education system continues on a path of transformation in accordance with government policy and regulation.

 

Registration can, therefore, be seen as a means of protecting the integrity of the higher education system and the interests of the public.

 

Chapter 7 of the Act deals specifically with private higher education institutions. The Regulations for the Registration of Private Higher Education Institutions, 2002, of which this guide and the application form are an appendix, provide the legal framework within which the Registrar of Private Higher Education Institutions is required to regulate the registration of private higher education institutions in terms of the Act.