Today our students hosted visiting youth as part of an Open Day for introducing and recruiting local students from Swaziland. The day included introductions of the ACC family, a brief history, curriculum overview, and introduction to financial aid. Then our visitors received an up-close look at our campus touring all our facilities including dormitories, married housing, classrooms, computer lab, gardens, orchard, and our library (current and future).
The day was capped off with lunch together, handing out applications and other materials followed by an afternoon of games. Students chose from playing football, volleyball, table tennis, netball, and other activities on a hot, “Is summer here already?” day.
Currently, only five of our 35 students are from Swaziland. This day was planned as an opportunity to introduce African Christian College to youth from area Churches of Christ who have completed Form V or are about to complete Form V. Over three dozen students attended.
We really had a good time at the college.
Of great note though is, looking at the number of Swazi students enrollin at the college it shows that to them the certicates are of less value, thus something needs to be done to improve the certificates in terms of accredit-ing it or at-least affiliate it to a recognised institution or organisation.
Also, something needs to be done in tems of marketing the college to other intitutions (universities and colleges) of higher learning for it to be known.
Otherwise its a college to be at. Considering joining ya’ll next year.
Thanks for the observations, Gcinumuzi. I’m glad you had a good time at the college, and hope to see you here as a student in January.
I’ll reiterate again the answer to these observations when you asked them during the question and answer time.
Currently, ACC is an Affiliate with the Accrediting Council for Theological Education in Africa (ACTEA) — a global accrediting group with high standards. We are in the midst of full candidacy for accreditation which is a multi-year process. We hope to have it completed no later than July 2015.
Though many would not recognize ACTEA by name, it’s accreditation will hold up to academic standards more than most government accreditations because of its partnership with global accrediting councils. That says that when a student graduates from ACC, s/he has a Bachelor’s degree that should be recognized for further education (at master’s level) at any accredited college in the world — whether Swaziland, South Africa, Kenya, Zimbabwe, England or the USA. The credits and degree will be more transferable than any other higher education institution affiliated with the Churches of Christ in Southern or Eastern Africa. I’m not sure how we can improve on that — as we’ve done our homework to ensure our degree is the best quality not only in content of education but in recognition among the academic community. But, of course, I’m biased toward the school as part of its faculty and administration.
I’d say our Swaziland representation is inadequately low. But I don’t think it is about our quality or the value of our degree; I think it’s an awareness issue. We have students from the places we actively recruit. Except for this past Saturday, we have done a poor job of getting the word out in Swaziland about our college– as you observed. I hope to see us improve that as well.
I hope to see your application soon! We really love thoughtful, intelligent, and eager students who are willing to push us to being better.