Bogus police school gets bust by real cops

DOZENS of unsuspecting students eager to gain skills are being conned out of cash by an "unscrupulous principal" in the Johannesburg city centre.

Joseph Alia Ogwa, 46, claims his organisation, Micro Mako Tech International College (SA), offers over 40 courses including policing, mining engineering, electrical engineering, boiler making, information technology, bar tending and ancillary health.

With his policing course, Ogwa promised students that the certificates they obtained would make them eligible to become members of the Johannesburg metro police department and the South African Police Service.

One of the students who saw red when she was told that the school was not registered has been involved in a lengthy legal battle with Ogwa to obtain a refund.

It was discovered that the college was taking money from unsuspecting students with the promise of skilling them in several professions.

Ogwa refused to speak to Sowetan when the newspaper visited the college on Tuesday.

It all began when Khanyisa Jayiya, 24, of Braamfontein, was informed by her friend and flatmate Ayabongwa Malikiti, 20, that she had registered for nursing at the college.

Jayiya registered for a six-month course in policing at the college at the beginning of 2010 for R1200 and paid monthly instalments of R600.

"I am surprised that there are nursing courses at the college because I have never seen any nursing students," she said.

At the beginning of February Jayiya and Malikiti went to the Department of Education offices in the city to verify if the school was registered.

"We were told that the school was not registered. We went to the principal to enquire about this. The principal told us that the school was only registered with Umalusi," Jayiya said.

The two went back to the Department of Education offices and were told that "there could be no such registration".

Jayiya and Malikiti went back to the college and broke the news to the principal, who then expelled both on the spot.

The two then went to the Small Claims Court to demand the money they had paid in tuition fees from the college.

The court issued them a letter of demand on March 1, which the principal refused to sign.

"I then went to the police to accompany me so that the principal could sign, but he still refused," said Jayiya.

On Tuesday Sowetan accompanied Jayiya to the sheriff, who said she could only serve the letter to the principal next week.

The Department of Higher Education and Training confirmed yesterday that Ogwa's college was not registered.

The department's chief of staff Nqaba Nqandela said: "The department did receive an application for registration from Micro Mako Tech International College (SA).

"The application was processed but the institution was declined registration on September 9 2009."

JMPD spokesperson Edna Mamonyane said: "Nobody trains officers for recruitment by the JMPD. We train our officers.

"That person is just playing with these children and making money out of them."

Police spokesperson Lieutenant-Colonel Lungelo Dlamini said there were universities which offered policing courses but "that does not mean that those students will then be recruited into the police force".

"He is misleading the students. A case of fraud can be opened by the students against the principal," said Dlamini.

The public can contact the department regarding the registration status of both FET and private higher education institutions on 0800-87-2222.

Other questions which can be asked by students are:

• Is the private education institution registered?;
• If registered, is the certificate for registration displayed?;
• Is the qualification you are interested in listed on the certificate?;
• Does it operate in suitable and safe premises with adequate space, light and appropriate equipment?;
• Can it provide full details of its staff and their qualifications?
• How does the private institution compare with other public institutions in terms of qualifications and services offered?