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</TD></TR><TR><TD>News @ AsiaOne
Taking steps to a better private education
New rules that private education institutions will have to abide. -TNP
Wed, Jan 13, 2010
The New Paper
The Council for Private Education
The Council for Private Education (CPE) will act as the watchdog for the private education sector.
It comprises a chairman and between five and 17 members appointed by the Education Minister.
To raise standards in the industry, the CPE will implement more stringent regulations for the sector and promote greater public and consumer awareness.
Schools that wish to offer external degrees must also get CPE's approval first.
The council will have the power to stipulate the maximum amount of fees a PEI can collect upfront, to minimise financial risk for the student.
It can also ask PEIs to suspend or remove their managers.
Raising industry standards
On top of the new regulations, the Government will step up efforts in consumer education and work closer with industry associations and PEIs to raise the quality of provision and student welfare in the long run.
Compulsory registration
Under the old system, registration was voluntary. Under the new rules, registration with the CPE is mandatory.
Online and virtual PEIs operating in and from Singapore will also be required to register.
All of them will have to register with the CPE to guard against Singapore becoming a staging point for online degree mills.
The CPE also has powers to suspend, cancel the registration or reduce the period of registration of any PEI.
Range of new penalties
A range of penalties such as fines and jail terms will be introduced to keep industry players in check.
Errant PEIs will also be censured and given additional conditions of registration.
APEI's EduTrust certification could be suspended or revoked if it does not adhere to the terms and conditions under the scheme.
Schools which have repeatedly violated conditions will risk being de-registered and will not be allowed to operate.
Should a PEI shut down, the school's manager has to inform the CPE immediately. Failure to do so is a criminal offence.
Voluntary EduTrust Scheme
Schools under this scheme will have to provide fee protection to both foreign and Singaporean students in case the schools suddenly close, unlike the former system under CaseTrust, which protects only foreign students.
Schools will be assessed for the EduTrust mark based on their academic quality, student welfare, finances and administrative processes.
Schools can choose to limit their collection of fees to a maximum of two months or buy fee insurance protection for their students.
Greater transparency
Schools must disclose all relevant information on their premises, courses and teachers to help students make informed choices, as well as ensure that the foreign institutions they partner are of an acceptable standard.
False or misleading advertising will not be allowed. The penalties for flouting this rule will be a fine of not more than $5,000 or a jail term of not more than six months, or both.
Inspectors may also enter and inspect the premises of any registered PEIs.
This article was first published in The New Paper.
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Taking steps to a better private education
New rules that private education institutions will have to abide. -TNP
Wed, Jan 13, 2010
The New Paper
The Council for Private Education
The Council for Private Education (CPE) will act as the watchdog for the private education sector.
It comprises a chairman and between five and 17 members appointed by the Education Minister.
To raise standards in the industry, the CPE will implement more stringent regulations for the sector and promote greater public and consumer awareness.
Schools that wish to offer external degrees must also get CPE's approval first.
The council will have the power to stipulate the maximum amount of fees a PEI can collect upfront, to minimise financial risk for the student.
It can also ask PEIs to suspend or remove their managers.
Raising industry standards
On top of the new regulations, the Government will step up efforts in consumer education and work closer with industry associations and PEIs to raise the quality of provision and student welfare in the long run.
Compulsory registration
Under the old system, registration was voluntary. Under the new rules, registration with the CPE is mandatory.
Online and virtual PEIs operating in and from Singapore will also be required to register.
All of them will have to register with the CPE to guard against Singapore becoming a staging point for online degree mills.
The CPE also has powers to suspend, cancel the registration or reduce the period of registration of any PEI.
Range of new penalties
A range of penalties such as fines and jail terms will be introduced to keep industry players in check.
Errant PEIs will also be censured and given additional conditions of registration.
APEI's EduTrust certification could be suspended or revoked if it does not adhere to the terms and conditions under the scheme.
Schools which have repeatedly violated conditions will risk being de-registered and will not be allowed to operate.
Should a PEI shut down, the school's manager has to inform the CPE immediately. Failure to do so is a criminal offence.
Voluntary EduTrust Scheme
Schools under this scheme will have to provide fee protection to both foreign and Singaporean students in case the schools suddenly close, unlike the former system under CaseTrust, which protects only foreign students.
Schools will be assessed for the EduTrust mark based on their academic quality, student welfare, finances and administrative processes.
Schools can choose to limit their collection of fees to a maximum of two months or buy fee insurance protection for their students.
Greater transparency
Schools must disclose all relevant information on their premises, courses and teachers to help students make informed choices, as well as ensure that the foreign institutions they partner are of an acceptable standard.
False or misleading advertising will not be allowed. The penalties for flouting this rule will be a fine of not more than $5,000 or a jail term of not more than six months, or both.
Inspectors may also enter and inspect the premises of any registered PEIs.
This article was first published in The New Paper.
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