HC warns S'pore bound Lankan students

The High Commission of Sri Lanka in Singapore has warned potential students from enrolling in dubious institutions in Singapore offering study courses and promising quick employment opportunities in Singapore and other countries.

Issuing a media release the Foreign Ministry states:

"The High Commission of Sri Lanka in Singapore has, yet again, received a large number of complaints from students, who have arrived in Singapore, to pursue courses of study at academic institutions. Most of these courses and academic programs state that job training and employment in Singapore or in a neighbouring country would be extended, once the course of study is completed.

In this context, students expend large amounts of fees, inclusive of fees for agents in Sri Lanka, amounting to S$ 5,000 to 8,000 equivalent of SLRs. 375,000-600,000. These programs and courses of study are offered for a period of six months to a maximum of one year by institutions having less repute both in standing and in academia let alone the recognition of their qualifications.

Most of these innocent and naive students are lured and enticed to Singapore to follow different courses of study and disciplines by agents, representing the said non-reputed academic institutions in Singapore.

Often, the complaints the High Commission of Sri Lanka in Singapore have received, in the recent past, were gross misrepresentation, distortion of the factual situation, false promises regarding employment opportunities and recognition of qualifications and undue prolonging of the courses of study, among others, thus frustrating them as well as exhausting the funds of the unsuspecting students.

It is outrageous to hear and note that many of these students have been promised and assured employment in Singapore or in Malaysia, after a successful completion of the study/course.

The High Commission of Sri Lanka in Singapore strongly urges and insists that the potential students, who intend to pursue any course of study in less known institutions in Singapore, particularly through an agent from Sri Lanka, to be extra cautious, vigilant and attentive."