News24 reports that on Friday the Council on Higher Education (CHE) will deliberate on a recommendation that the higher education qualifications accredited by Damelin be put on “notice of withdrawal of accreditation, with conditions”.

The CHE said its Higher Education Quality Committee (HEQC) had reviewed the report of a panel of independent peer academics, which had investigated the provision of Damelin’s accredited programmes. It added that the HEQC had resolved to give Damelin an opportunity to submit representations in response to the recommendation. Dr Rose Masha, the CHE’s acting CEO, reported that Damelin had submitted its representations, which would be considered at the HEQC’s next meeting on 7 November. She explained that the CHE did not share academic peer panel reports and recommendations as they were confidential. But Masha confirmed that “a final decision will be taken by the HEQC and communicated to Damelin and the public.”

However, Dr Sipho Nzimande, the strategic advisor of the Damelin recovery process, expressed grave concern about “the premature and public exposure of matters that are still under active review by the CHE and HEQC”. The council’s CEO, Dr Whitfield Green, previously advised that in view of complaints that had been received in regard to Damelin, the CHE had resolved to investigate the state of provisioning of the accredited higher education programmes it offered.

• Read the full original of the report in the above regard by Prega Govender at News24 (subscription / trial registration required)

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