Minister of Higher Education and Training Buti Manamela has cautioned prospective students to remain vigilant against fraudulent tertiary institutions that are operating illegally during the current admissions period.
According to the department, bogus colleges often exploit periods of high demand for post-school placements by charging registration or tuition fees while offering qualifications that are not recognised.
Manamela warned that these institutions lack legal registration and provide neither credible nor recognized qualifications.
He said qualifications offered by private skills development providers must be quality assured by the Quality Council for Trades and Occupations, Sector Education and Training Authorities, and the South African Qualifications Authority.
He further extended a message of welcome to the Class of 2025 as they enter the post-school education and training (PSET) sector.
Manamela said this after Minister of Basic Education Siviwe Gwarube announced the results on Monday evening.
He said the transition marks an important new phase of learning, skills development, and personal growth, with universities, technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges, community education and training (CET) colleges, private higher education institutions, and skill development providers ready to receive students across various pathways.
“As we welcome you into the post-school education and training landscape, whether at universities, TVET colleges, CET colleges, private institutions or workplace learnerships, we celebrate not only your success at school but also the start of your next chapter in contributing to the growth and development of our country,” said Manamela.
Post-school options
Additionally, he said the 2025 National Senior Certificate (NSC) results highlight both progress and growing pressure within the post-school system.
About 927 000 learners wrote the NSC examinations, with more than 760 000 passing and approximately 345 000 achieving bachelor’s passes.
However, South Africa’s public universities can accommodate only about 230 000 first-time entering students each year, which points to the importance of diversified post-school options and realistic planning across the PSET sector.
He reminded the students to ensure that they have received formal confirmation of both academic placement and accommodation before travelling to any institution.
“If you have not applied, or if your application was unsuccessful, please do not go to the institution. Institutions are not accepting in-person applications at this stage,” added Manamela.
The department reiterated that vigilance and verification are key to protecting students from exploitation by illegal and unregistered colleges.
