WINDHOEK – The Namibia Qualifications Authority (NQA) has revealed that qualifications from the Institute of Commercial Management (ICM) will no longer be recognised in Namibia beyond December 31 2014.
The NQA, as per its mandate under the Regulations to the Evaluation of Qualifications (Government Notice 182, 2007) only evaluates and recognises foreign qualifications if these are approved by a recognised quality assurance body in the country of origin.
Recently and in the process of considering applications for the evaluation of qualifications, the NQA identified some discrepancies in the titles and structure of some of the ICM courses.
This prompted the NQA to temporarily discontinue evaluating ICM qualifications, pending research into the extent of the discrepancies.
“The basic reason for the non-recognition of the ICM qualifications is that the institution (ICM) decided not to be regulated in the country of origin, the United Kingdom. The NQA only recognises qualifications that are awarded by foreign institutions regulated or quality assured in the country of origin. ICM thus is expected to be regulated by Ofqual in the UK for its qualifications to be recognised by the NQA. Ofqual is our counterpart in the UK,” disclosed NQA chief executive officer, Franz Gertze yesterday.
ICM informed the NQA that it opted not to be regulated by Ofqual any longer.
ICM is an examination and awarding body based in the UK and operates through approximately 500 approved teaching centres in more than 130 countries across the world, including Namibia.
Since 2007, the NQA has accredited five privately owned Namibian training providers that offer ICM programmes under franchise arrangements and agreements. These include ILSA Independent College, Monitronics Success College, Ondangwa Commercial College and Triumphant College.
By Albertina Nakale