Updated: 10/28/2013 23:23 | By Channel NewsAsia
Private education institute accused of short-changing Taiwan students
SINGAPORE: Six university students from Taiwan who are in Singapore for a work-and-study programme have criticised local private education institution, Entrepreneur Training Tech Academy (ETTA), for short-changing them.
One of the students, Yao Ching Shan, said she signed up for the three-month programme at a career fair organised by her university in Taiwan.
She said the agreed salary was S$600 with tuition fees and living expenses covered by the employer.
When she arrived in Singapore, the salary turned out to be S$1,300. However, she had to pay for her own rent and tuition fees.
She also said that she didn't attend any classes on management as agreed in the contract.
"We attended two lessons in management but were told that the classes were full and they wanted to stream the students first. They then made me sit for an English test. My test results were all right but they placed me in an English proficiency class, and not a management class," said Yao.
In response, ETTA said the students were not being reasonable as classes had been arranged but the students chose not to attend them.
ETTA also said students did receive an official document clearly stating the monthly salary and rent.
"My colleagues sent the official documents to the students two weeks before they left for Singapore. They would have had two weeks to examine the contents," said programme coordinator Benson Mah.
Both Singapore's Council for Private Education and the Manpower Ministry are investigating the matter. - CNA/fa
