How to spot a distance-learning scam

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The medium of distance education is globally recognised as the most effective way of studying - it's convenient, saves you money and time, and can be tackled at your own pace. However, the rise in popularity has been matched by the emergence of unscrupulous fly-by-night operators who award qualifications that are not worth the paper they are printed on.

The Academy of York's principal, Richard Leeming, advises students to investigate a college and its courses before signing up. "Make sure the college is registered with a recognised institution and the courses it is offering are also recognised," he said.

"The Academy of York is registered with The Department of Education as a Further Education and Training College. We provide education and skills-based training solutions in the South African marketplace that are recognised within their relevant sectors," he continued.

Diploma mills

Scam colleges are known as "diploma mills" and fall mainly into two categories: ones that openly sell degrees for cash and others that are more dangerous by masquerading as real schools. Students are lured into the latter with promises of minimal work and fast-tracked learning that awards qualifications in a very short space of time. "Graduates" emerge from these colleges thinking that they have earned a real diploma or degree.

"The term 'diploma' is often misused in this country. Current legislation demands that an accredited diploma course be aligned to the National Qualifications Framework (NQF) and the qualification should take a minimum of three years to complete. Anything below these standards is not actually a diploma. There are many colleges offering shorter, in-house courses and calling them diplomas, which is sadly not the case unless the course measures up to the above legislation," continued Leeming.

"At the Academy of York, our courses fall into one of the following categories: short non-accredited skills programmes; short nationally accredited programmes; nationally accredited Diplomas and Certificates; and internationally accredited courses. The college is proud to be accredited by the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers (ICB), Project Management Institute (PMI), FASSET (Financial Services SETA Provider), SABPP (SA Board for People Practices), International Computer Driver's License (ICDL), Adobe and CompTIA, to mention a few," he said.

A "bricks and mortar" address

Alongside checking accreditation and whether your course has market value that is recognised by both public and private sector companies, prospective students should take a good look at the college's website, social media pages, physical address and phone number. Any college worth its salt will answer the phone during working hours and have an actual "bricks and mortar" address that you can visit.

Leeming agreed: "We invite students to our premises all the time, to come and meet our team of student advisors and see that our team consists of real lecturers and support staff. What's more, we encourage prospective students to ask for referrals or feedback from past and current students to get a perspective on what the college is like and how their chosen qualification has opened doors for them."

Another valid consideration is whether the college provides student support that enables a distance learner to keep motivated, direct his queries and, ultimately, excel. "The Academy of York has invested a huge amount of time, money and energy to ensure its student support team is customer focused and offers service excellence. All our courses offer a proactive Student Support Journey where we communicate via SMS or email every few weeks with information relevant to their studies, as well as study schedules, exam preparation and assignment tips," said Leeming.

"The Academy of York also offers a subject specialist to whom students can phone, fax or email a question and they will get the relevant support in good time," he concluded.

Exploring further education can be a solution to fast tracking your knowledge and career opportunities, but it can also be a minefield unless you are able to steer clear of questionable ventures or colleges that are not as committed to your learning as you are. As long as you look properly before you leap, distance learning could be the key that empowers you in your chosen field and gives you the edge when applying for the job of your dreams.