Johannesburg – Umalusi, the quality council for general and further education and training, has officially launched the newly implemented online application system for the replacement of lost or damaged certificates.
According to the council, candidates can now access the system from anywhere via a cellphone or PC to apply directly to Umalusi to replace their lost or damaged certificates.
"The new system has significantly reduced the turnaround time and costs involved in replacing a lost or damaged certificate.
“At the cost of R137, a candidate can collect a replacement certificate from Umalusi within two working days of the application," said an Umalusi statement.
Or a candidate can pay R202, which includes R137 for the certificate and R65 in courier fees, to have the certificate sent within seven working days to their chosen physical address, anywhere in South Africa.
Umalusi said that the university sector has commended this move, saying the online verification of results will be very helpful to institutions of higher learning during registration periods.
This time last year, in a parliamentary committee for higher education, science and innovation, the Department of Higher Education and Training, the State Information Technology Agency (SITA), and Umalusi received an update on the eradication of the certification backlog.
It was revealed that in the certification backlog, the reduction was on the verge of 100%, sitting at 99.85%, leaving 0.15%, or 186 000 certificates, outstanding.
"All stakeholders recognised and acknowledged that the remaining 0.15% still had to be cleared because that figure relates to people who were still waiting for their certificates. Members of Parliament welcomed the significant reduction but also implored the stakeholders to further reduce the 0.15%.
“The Technology Agency assured members that it would be reduced as it was not related to information and communication technology or systems; it was a matter of business rules that had to be implemented," read a parliamentary statement.
The Star