One of the country’s Islamic higher learning institutions, International College of Business and Management (ICBM) has been awarded a provisional license to start offering degree programs.
The Blantyre based institution promised during its first ever graduation ceremony that was held at COMESA hall in Blantyre that it will soon be penning doors for degree programs.
Confirming the development to Malawi Muslim Website, Deputy Principal of the college , Manafi Katonga said National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) has advised them to improve on certain areas before a final inspection is done for them to get accreditation.
“As we promised towards our first ever in September last that we are eyeing at becoming a university, we applied to NCHE and they have given us a provisional license, pending assessment” Katonga said.
The deputy principal said, as it stands the institution will continue with its certificate, diploma and advanced diploma programs, and the degree programs awaits the assessment.
He said they have been advised to look into governance, infrastructure, library and curriculum, financial as well as human resource.
On when they will be ready for the inspection, Katonga said by March this year the will be done with working on the requirements.
“We have a task force working on this, and by March this year, possibly the required tasks will be done, and well inviting officials for an inspection, if all go as planned by July this year we might be starting our degree programs” Katonga explained.
On the degree programs it intends to be offering after it acquires accreditation, the Vice principal said they will start with 6 programs.
“After accreditation, we will be offering degree in Accounting and finance, Information and communication Technology (ICT), Business Management, Marketing, Community Development, and Public Health” he said.
Katonga however downplayed the rumor which is making round that the school has been closed for a year pending its accreditation by NCHE, saying their normal operations have not been compromised.
“Let me clarify to parents and our diploma students, that we are opening on Monday 13th of January, we are only restricted on degree programs, but on our usual programs we continuing come this Monday” he said.
ICBM opened its doors in 2002 and has been offering programs at certificate, diploma and Advance Diploma level that are examined by both local and international examination boards.
