Tightening conditions for student and tourist visas is not the answer to curb the influx of foreign workers disguised as students, said an education group. The Malaysian Association of Private Colleges and Universities (MAPCU) said the way to strike at the issue is to take drastic action against the culprits.
Private universities and colleges are against a proposal by the Higher Education Ministry to collect bonds from them, with a view to providing students with a safety net.
With a target of 75,000 foreign students registering at private institutions of higher learning by next year, the Higher Education Ministry has been talking with providers on ways to make Malaysia a regional hub of excellence, writes KOH SOO LING.
Although private non-profit colleges and universities have a long and distinguished history throughout the world, what has come to be known as ‘for-profit higher education’ is a relative newcomer.
The Malaysian Association of Private Colleges and Universities and 54 others yesterday obtained the green light from the High Court to quash a circular in relation to the new registration system of international students in local private institutions.
Private higher education institutions (PHEIs) are having mixed feelings about the push for the rating system for higher education institutions (Setara) programme, which will be made compulsory next year.
All private higher education institutions (PHEI) will be required to post a bond before they are issued licences to operate. The Higher Education Ministry is expected to impose the condition by the end of the year.
These new policies were soon translated into regulatory frameworks to provide quality education in the private sector coupled with support from international institutions of higher education. The Malaysian government realised this would ease the pressure on currency outflow but to put such a policy into effect was by no means an easy task.
Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Khaled Noordin (picture) tabled three Bills for first reading in the Dewan Rakyat, proposing to amend three laws — the Universities and University Colleges Act 1971 (UUCA), Private Higher Educational Institutions Act 1996 (PHEIA) and Education Institutions Act (EIA) (Discipline) Act 1976.
Khaled also said that there are 130,000 places available at the 37 private universities, 20 university colleges, 418 private colleges and seven international branch campuses in the country.
Malaysia has announced a two year moratorium on new private tertiary institutions with the aim to raise its status as an educational hub. “Highly rated” foreign campuses are exempt from the freeze.
Private medical colleges should increase the number of postgraduate medical programmes to commensurate with the increasing number of medical graduates in the country, said Higher Education Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Khaled Nordin.
Adamson University topped the list of the 354 private schools which posted the highest increase in tuition at P131.19 per unit followed by Ateneo de Manila University at P118.25, Miriam College Foundation, P117.15, Dela Salle University, P106.20 and University of Sto. Tomas, P71.16, among others, that were allowed by the Commission on Higher Education.