NCOHP – National Council of Hindu Priests
The South African Hindu Maha Sabha is consistently inundated with numerous complaints from individuals, families and organizations concerning malpractices adopted by priests in the performance of their duties. Equally some priests have expressed concern that the behaviour of their counterparts often denigrate and brings disrepute to the profession. It is in this environment of dissatisfaction that the Maha Sabha has decided to launch a programme that would provide some degree of control to both parties.
This led to the creation of the National Council of Hindu Priests under the banner of the South African Hindu Maha Sabha. However in order to create such a professional body requires the support of the South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), a Government Institution, to ensure educational sustainability and conformity. It is precisely these two institutions that will monitor this programme which will include, inter alia, the training, curriculum and syllabus, external assessment and final acceptance as a registered professional priest.