I wonder if government agencies actually counter-check the certs produced by its applicants....
Psychology degree bogus
At least 3 grads with the fake qualifications are doing counselling work
BROOKES Business School, the private school in Beach Road that was exposed last week for peddling fake Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology (RMIT) degrees, also offered unaccredited diplomas and degrees in psychology on the side.
Among its past and present students are nurses, policemen and army regulars. At least three people who graduated with these bogus qualifications are now engaged in counselling work.
A 28-year-old, who works for a public institution, said he intends to opt out of his counselling duties. 'Now that I know it was a bogus degree, I don't want that on my conscience,' he said.
The Education Ministry on Tuesday said Brookes Business School was registered to run diploma and advanced diploma courses in psychology and business, but not degree courses.
Also, instead of issuing the diplomas under its own name, the school broke the rules by issuing them under degree mill Brookes University, a virtual university which claims to be based in Cornwall in Britain.
Six psychology students interviewed said they were recruited by the Centre for Applied Psychological Studies (CAPS), which shared the same premises as Brookes Business School in Beach Road.
The registered owner of Brookes, Mr Benny Yap Chee Mun, 39, was also listed as the centre's manager. Some time last year, the centre was shut down.
Mr Yap then started another school with a similar name - CAPS School of Business Management and Psychological Studies. Recently, CAPS changed its name to Stamford Global Learning Centre.
The Straits Times understands that more than 50 psychology students have approached Brookes to claim fee refunds, which ranged from $8,000 to $12,000 for a one-year specialist diploma, to $24,000 for a two-year diploma and degree.
Several have been told that the Centre for Applied Psychological Studies does not come under Brookes, although the students were issued receipts for their fees by Brookes Business School.
http://www.straitstimes.com/Breaking+News/Singapore/Story/STIStory_395134.html
