Johannesburg- The University of South Africa (Unisa) has cleared the air as questions around the credibility of the institution’s qualifications surfaced.
This comes after media reports that stated that the university sells its qualifications and is not as credible.
It was reported that the university is a mere “qualification factory”.
The institution has today released a statement, saying the reports circulating on social media are misleading, malicious, inaccurate, and require correction.
“Unisa is the leading and biggest university in South Africa, whose qualification at certificate, undergraduate and post-graduate levels are held by millions of South Africans and graduates from outside the country boarders. Unisa has several well-established processes designed to safeguard the integrity of it’s qualifications,” the statement said.
“Outside the context of covid19, graduation certificates are often given to students at graduation ceremonies and in their hand. This has meant that certificates land in the right hands. However, during covid19, the university organised courier services locally and internationally to deliver certificates to students. Given the scale of the operation, of at least 60 000+ certificates requiring delivery to varied contexts, there have been challenges. The 2021 supplementary certificates will be distributed later in the year. Unisa commits to expedite the delivery of certificates locally and internationally for all students who have completed their studies and have fulfilled all the requirements for their qualification,” the statement concluded.
At the release of this statement the chancellor of the institution Lenka Balu took to social media and said it is within her duty to defend the credibility of Unisa.
“It’s my duty as Vice-Chancellor of University of South Africa to contend duplicitous allusions by some media that Unisa is qualifications factory. Unisa‘s qualifications are Assesed/Audited/Accredited by local (CHE/SAQA etc)International Statutory Qualifications Authorities,” Balu added on Twitter.
Take a look at how Twitter users reacted below:
I'm one of the academics that Unisa produced. It is definitely a disrespect to refer to Unisa as a qualification factory.
— Potso Manchidi-MBA (@PotsoMab) October 18, 2021
https://twitter.com/Mthi__/status/1449994393163911170?s=20
“Qualification factory”? I must be the dumbest, how do I fail to acquire a qualification while I’m right inside the factory…ai UNISA is kicking our ass batho ba modimo… https://t.co/7Yb2ochK1o
— YoT'Ale (@YoTAle1) October 18, 2021
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