MBABANE:Dr Monica Nkwanyana, the Eswatini Higher Education Council(ESHEC) Quality Assurance Manager was suspended for allegedly leaking information about the legitimacy of BSA Training Centre.
It has been disclosed that, Dr Nkwanyana was tasked with investigating the institution but, subsequently violated the code of conduct by leaking the findings of the report to students who recorded her and then, went to question BSA Training Centre Managing Director Bongani Delisa Dlamini.
As a result, the BSA Managing Director went to report the Quality Assurance Manager to the ESHEC authorities and she was subsequently suspended for leaking the findings of the report that concluded that, BSA Training was not a legitimate institution.
But senior insiders within ESHEC told this Swaziland News that, Dr Nkwanyana was not suspended for investigating BSA but, for leaking the findings of the report.
“It was wrong for her to then leak the findings of the report because as ESHEC, we don’t investigate institutions with the intention to close or scandalize those private Colleges but, to ensure compliance with higher education standards. As a result, we have helped various institutions like BSA, some private Colleges were not compliant but now, they are complaint. BSA is an institution recognized by the Higher Education Council but at the time of the investigation in 2023, it was not compliant”, said a senior Manager within ESHEC.
Efforts to seek a comment from BSA Managing Director Delisa Dlamini proved unsuccessful at the time of compiling this report.
Responding to this Swaziland News on Sunday, Mihla Khumalo, the Spokesperson of the Higher Education Council said, to the best of their knowledge, “BSA Training Centre is a fully registered and recognized College in the country”.
Khumalo said, sometimes public outcry might not reflect the reality on the ground as Colleges are competing and those spreading the information about BSA might be pushing a certain agenda, the Spokesperson then thanked this publication for verifying the information.
“Siyabonga nalokutsi usishayele Nkhosi to verify, BSA is a registered private College accredited to provide certificates and this means, their certificates are recognized in the country. Accreditation comes after a vigorous inspection or investigation to ascertain if that particular College is complying with the standards because these are not only local but global standards. Other companies might reject a certificate from BSA saying they don’t recognize the College because companies have their own preferences, some prefer University of Eswatini(UNESWA) qualifications but, that does not mean the BSA certificate is not genuine other companies accept it,” said the ESHEC Spokesperson
On another note, the ESHEC said sometimes “they receive tip-offs” from members of the public complaining about standards in a particular College adding that, they once investigated BSA Training Centre.
“But in our investigations, we investigate the College based on the standards and if we found that, it’s complying, we allow it to continue operating.I can confirm that, BSA Training Centre is complying with the Higher Education standards,” he said.
A student who graduates from BSA.