Additionally, the public may also become unnecessarily wary of all private higher education institutions, limiting their own access to quality education.
Dr Felicity Coughlan, director of The Independent Institute of Education, says that because the private higher education sector is highly regulated in South Africa, with information readily available in prescribed formats, it is in fact easy to identify credible institutions and their campuses if you know what to look for.
"All the key information about the registration of an institution is available in the Register of Private Higher Education Institutions kept by the Department of Higher Education and Training, and the information is also readily available from reputable institutions," she says.
"There are also a few key questions to ask to which there are some simple answers, and if an institution is able to respond appropriately, it is worth considering."
Coughlan says prospective students can do the following checks:
"Once you have established these three things you can be sure you are dealing with a legitimate institution, and from there you can safely turn your attention to the particular qualification, quality and campus environment issues that meet your aspirations and interests," Coughlan says.