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A diploma scam

(China Daily)
Updated: 2009-11-20 07:56

It is weird that some 12,000 primary and middle school teachers were awarded diplomas of higher learning by taking distance education courses for two years, but the Ministry of Education does not recognize their diplomas.

Hubei Education College in Hubei province, with the authorization of the provincial education commission, provided remote higher education to primary and middle school teachers and awarded diplomas in 2002 and 2003. Some 12,000 teachers took the courses by paying 4,000 yuan ($588) each as tuition fee and were awarded the diplomas.

However, when one of the diploma holders applied for another job in Shenzhen in Guangdong province, his diploma did not pass online verification of the Ministry of Education. The diploma was declared fake by the Information Consultation and Employment Guidance Center attached to the ministry. The college does not have the mandate to offer distance education, according to the center.

It is even weirder that the college had permission from the provincial education commission that allowed it to offer distance education courses in higher education on a trial basis.

How could this be? The provincial education commission should have known whether the college had the mandate to offer such courses and issue diplomas. Authorities from the college reported the matter to the commission two months ago but are yet to receive an answer.

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One thing is for sure: The country's higher education top authorities have not recognized the college's diplomas. Even if the provincial education department had the discretion to authorize the colleges under its jurisdiction to offer such courses, students should have been told that the diplomas would not be recognized outside the province.

If the teachers were told so at the time, many would not have taken the courses. They wanted the diploma in the hope that they could move to a better job or for better pay. No one would have spent 4,000 yuan for a useless diploma.

It may quite probably have been a scam involving corruption. The teachers have been advised by officials from the ministry to report the matter to the public security bureau.

It should not be difficult to find out why the local provincial education commission allowed the college to launch the program and where the 48 million yuan tuition fee has been spent.

A thorough investigation is needed. It is not just that the more than 10,000 teachers need a clear account of what exactly happened, those who masterminded the scheme and benefited from it should not get away with it.