Private schools across the region are facing a new hurdle as questions mount over the validity of School Leaving Certificates (SLCs) issued by the Private Institutions Educational Regulatory Authority (PIERA). Parents and school administrators are reporting widespread confusion, with several institutions refusing to accept the certificates for student transfers.
The friction stems from inconsistencies in the verification process. While PIERA is the designated regulatory body, school principals claim the certificates issued lack necessary security features, making them susceptible to forgery.
Some administrators have gone as far as turning away students mid-transfer, citing a lack of confidence in the authority’s current documentation standards. “We aren’t just being difficult,” said one principal of a private secondary school in the capital, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
“When a transfer document arrives without a verifiable digital trail or a clear institutional seal, it puts our own accreditation at risk. We need to know the student’s history is authentic.” The issue has left hundreds of parents in limbo.
For those attempting to move children between schools, the inability to provide a “valid” certificate has stalled enrollment processes, forcing some students to miss weeks of classroom time. PIERA officials have maintained that the certificates are legitimate, yet they have been slow to provide a unified verification portal that schools can use to confirm the documents. Critics argue that the authority’s failure to digitize the process is the root cause of the current bottleneck.
“The authority keeps telling us the papers are fine, but they don’t give us a way to check them,” said a parent waiting outside a local school office. “I have the document in my hand, but the school refuses to look at it. It’s a complete breakdown in communication.
” The regulatory authority is now under pressure to streamline the system. Without a swift fix, the credibility of the transfer process and the authority of PIERA itself remains in doubt. As the academic calendar moves forward, the burden remains on the families caught in the middle of a bureaucratic standoff that shows no sign of immediate resolution.
