Action against Clique College was due to running e-learning courses without MQA permission. Avid College faced issues for non-payment of lecturer salaries and unmarked exams, which extended program durations and increased costs for students.
Maldives Qualifications Authority (MQA) has taken severe action against Avid College and Clique College for violating program accreditation regulations.
The action against Clique College was for running courses under the e-learning delivery modality without obtaining MQA permission.
MQA announced that the authority had issued general permission to all higher education institutions in the Maldives to conduct e-learning delivery or online programs during the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, these permissions were canceled following normalization after the pandemic.
Clique College had not sought permission for any program under the e-learning delivery modality before the outbreak, MQA added.
The "Bachelor of Business Management" program at Clique College, approved by MQA in 2019 for face-to-face delivery, has been advertised as an e-learning delivery modality, according to student complaints.
Other face-to-face approved programs have also been advertised as e-learning on the Clique College Instagram page and website.
1. Request for correction of violations of the National Qualifications Framework and program accreditation
2. Impose a MVR 10,000 penalty for running higher education programs without accreditation
3. Order the programs to stop
4. Remove permission to issue certificates
5. Publicly announce that the program is not in accordance with the National Qualifications Framework and contrary to program accreditation standards
MQA took action against Avid College after receiving numerous complaints about the college's programs.
Issues included non-payment of salaries to lecturers and not marking students' examination papers, which extended program durations and increased costs for students.
A "random batch audit" of seven programs at Avid College revealed several violations of accreditation regulations and program accreditation guidelines.
1. Failure to submit the Before Commencement form within the required time frame
2. Enrollment dates of students not coinciding with intake dates
3. No proper system to maintain student attendance and result sheets
4. Lack of a learning management system as per e-learning guidelines
5. Programs not in accordance with program accreditation
MQA has ordered Avid College to rectify its operations to comply with the National Qualifications Framework and program accreditation. The authority will not issue accreditation and operating permits to any more programs at Avid College.
Additionally, Avid College must publicly announce that the program is not in accordance with the National Qualifications Framework and program accreditation standards.
While action was taken against Avid College and Clique College, MQA announced that further action would be taken against those running online courses without permission.
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