250 top colleges shut down

FOUNDATION College, the prestigious Girls College and Dominican Convent High School are part of 251 private and independent training institutions which have been closed with immediate effect for non- compliance with the country’s registration and operation procedures.

According to a statement issued by the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development’s TVET Quality assurance standards compliance inspectorate yesterday, in Bulawayo nine colleges were deregistered and 32 are said to be operating illegally.

The ministry said of the total schools which have been closed, 119 were from Harare province.

The institutions fell foul of the Manpower Planning and Development Act Chapter 28:02, Statutory Instruments 333 of 1996 and 26 of 2001.

In Bulawayo, Dominican Convent High School and Petra High School are said to be offering certificates and diplomas without registering with the Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development.

Watershed College, Chisipite Senior School and St George’s High School, all in Harare were also shut down for the same reason.

Girls College, Foundation College (Annexe), City College of Computers are cited as operating illegally.

A majority of vocational training centres – which are mostly run by local authorities countrywide – are also said to be operating illegally.

“The Ministry of Higher and Tertiary Education, Science and Technology Development is carrying out its mandate of inspecting private and independent training institutions to ensure that they are compliant with the Act. In this ongoing exercise, institutions in Bulawayo, Matabeleland North and South provinces, Harare, Manicaland, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland Central, Mashonaland West, Masvingo and Midlands provinces have been inspected,” read the statement.

“In this regard 41 Bulawayo schools are herein closed with immediate effect for non- compliance with the provisions of the said Act.”

The nine Bulawayo schools which were deregistered are Foundation College, Academy Learning, GTG Information Technology Centre, Hillview International College, Mabero Technical College, ZDECO, ZAOGA Nketa 7, Mosmarch International College and the Zimbabwe Institute of Commercial Studies. state media