The country’s National Council for Higher Education (NCHE), a body mandated to regulate high education has rejected the registration of Western University of Malawi (WUNIMA) with its programmes because the institution does not meet minimum standards for higher education in Malawi.
The development comes amid mushrooming of high learning institutions which are frying with decorated adverts of changing Malawians social-economic conditions through provision of substandard education services.
Through a statement NCHE released on August 6, 2015, available to the local press which The Maravi Post has also sourced is baring WUNIMA (formally called Western College which is based in Blantyre), to operate or admit students for any of its programmes in the country due to its failure to meet minimum standards for higher education institutions.
“The National Council for Higher Education Act (No.15 of 2011) gives mandate to the council to regulate higher education institutions in Malawi. The NCHE wishes to notify the general public that its 9th Ordinary Meetings held on 13th July, 2015 the council approved outcomes of institutional and programme assessments of eleven higher education institutions.
“The council has rejected the registration of Western University and its programmes because the institution does not meet minimum standard for higher education in Malawi. The university is not allowed to operate or admit students for any of its programmes.
“Therefore, the council wishes to notify the general public that all higher education institutions, both public and private, are required to register with NCHE all new programmes and satellite centres before admitting students or commencing operations in these centres.
“The council assures the general public that it is doing everything possible to ensure that only registered institutions are operating and offering approved programmes. Thus, NCHE is urging all prospective students, parents and guardians to access list of all registered institutions and programmes in Malawi before enrolling”, urges the NCHE statement.
Among the eleven assessed institutions including African Bible College (ABC ,Lilongwe), being approved to offer programmes on Master of Divinity and Master of Arts in Christian Leadership while Daeyang University (Lilongwe) approved to admit Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Midwifery but deferred registration of Bachelor of Science in Information, Communication and Technology.
Exploit University has been approved to offer programmes in Blantyre Satellite centre, and Mahatma Gandhi University ( Lilongwe) has been allowed to continue setting up by mobilizing and assembling financial and academic resources, and publicise the programmes of instruction but not to admit students as provided for in the section 20 (4) of the NCHE Act.
Malawi Adventist University (Ntcheu and Thyolo) has been acknowledged to start offering Bachelor of Business Administration and Bachelor of Arts Theology (Lake View, Ntcheu), and Bachelor of Science in Medical Laboratory Science (Malamulo, Thyolo) but deferred to offer Bachelors of Sciences in Agri-business, Agriculture and Education (Lake view campus), and Bachelors of Sciences in Public Health, Clinical Medicine, Nursing and Midwifery (Malamulo, Thyolo).
At Malawi Assemblies of God University (MAGU, Lilongwe), the council has accepted in principle the programme of Master of Arts in Ministerial Studies with concentrations in Christian Leadership, Intercultural Studies and Community Psychology subject to addressing recommendations on the curriculum including correcting anomalies in the naming and coding of courses and updating references; recruiting suitably qualified staff for Biblical studies, Hermeneutics and Community Psychology such that upon addressing recommendation dully communicated to the institution, the council will approve its effectiveness to the public.
Malawi College of Accountancy (Blantyre, Lilongwe campuses), NCHE has approved registration of undergraduate programmes including Bachelor of Marketing and Public Relations, Bachelor of Arts in Management of Information Systems, Bachelor of Applied Accounting (Auditing and Information Systems), and Bachelor Business and Entrepreneurship but postponed recognition of Mzuzu campus until sanitation facilities, library facilities and resources as well as computer laboratory are developed.
The council has agreed registration of Nkhoma University as a higher education institution to start administering undergraduate programmes including Certificate and Diploma in Nursing and Midwifery, Bachelors of Commerce, Theology, Education (Languages or Linguistics and Religious and Social Studies), and Bachelor of Education Mathematical Sciences but deferred registration of Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Midwifery until the Nurses and Midwives Council of Malawi accredits the programme and the curriculum.
Riverton University (Lilongwe) has been registered as a higher education institution with the approval to enroll Bachelor of Business Administration but the council has delayed some programmes pending verification of the availability and qualification of members of teaching staff, the faculties being delayed including Bachelors of Accountancy, Community Development, Human Resources Management, International Business, and Arts in Marketing. However, HCHE has rejected the enrollment of the following programmes; Bachelor of Science in Information Technology, and Masters in Community Development, International Business, Human Resources Management, Marketing.
The council has finally accepted the recognition of Montfort Special Needs Education College (MSNEC, Nguludi-Chiladzulu) as a higher learning institution in line with the provisions under section 36 of the NCHE Act whose programmes accreditation will be done in 2016 upon review.
