ZOMBA—The High Court in Zomba has granted permission for judicial review and ordered the temporary suspension of a decision by Malawi’s higher education regulators that had declared qualifications offered by Business Management Education Centre (BMEC), a United Kingdom–based awarding body, invalid in the country.
In his minute order, Justice Dick Sankhulani allowed BMEC Qualifications Limited to challenge the decision of the National Council for Higher Education (NCHE) and the Technical, Entrepreneurial and Vocational Education and Training Authority (TEVETA), and directed that their decision be stayed until the court concludes the matter or issues a further order.
The dispute stems from a decision by the two regulators regarding the status of BMEC qualifications in Malawi. The decision was communicated through a strongly worded joint press release issued on 11 February 2026, which stated that BMEC qualifications were “not recognised” in the country and that programmes offered under the organisation were therefore invalid for use in Malawi. This decision raised immediate concern among institutions and students using or pursuing the qualifications, prompting BMEC to seek urgent legal redress.
BMEC’s lawyer, Jefferson Luwa of the Lilongwe-based law firm Albaart Chambers, confirmed the development.
“The High Court has indeed granted permission for judicial review and a stay of the defendants’ decision,” Luwa said.
BMEC, chaired by Professor Tom Thomas, awards professional and academic diplomas through accredited partner institutions in several countries, including Malawi.
According to BMEC’s country office in Zomba, headed by Winston Bergi, the institution has been operating in Malawi since 2018 through affiliated training partners and has awarded more than 5,000 Level 4, 5, and 6 diplomas. Many of its graduates have secured employment in both the public and private sectors, while others have advanced to further studies at universities in Malawi and abroad.
The timing of the ruling is significant, as BMEC students in Malawi are scheduled to begin their examinations tomorrow, Wednesday. The court’s intervention has therefore brought relief to candidates who had been left uncertain about the status of their programmes and qualifications.
Justice Sankhulani’s order does not determine whether the regulators acted unlawfully. Rather, it means the court has found that the challenge raises arguable legal issues that must be examined through full judicial review proceedings.
Until the matter is heard and determined, the February decision by the regulators remains suspended, allowing BMEC institutions and their students across Malawi to continue their academic programmes while the court reviews how the decision was reached.
