Ex-manager of defunct School of Applied Studies fined S$16k

[Kyo Kusanagi]

Ex-manager of defunct School of Applied Studies fined S$16k
Posted: 17 January 2013 1412 hrs

SINGAPORE: A former manager of the defunct School of Applied Studies (SAS) has been fined S$16,000 for failing to keep proper student records and refund students' fees.

Jeremy Low, 32, was convicted of two charges on Thursday.

A third charge was taken into consideration. This was for making a false statement to the Council for Private Education (CPE) in an application for the private education institution to get EduTrust certification.

The CPE started investigating SAS after it received an anonymous complaint in October 2010, and was informed by the SAS that it had decided to cease operations due to financial difficulties.

It discovered that SAS had collected course fees for a degree programme that had not been conducted.

SAS still has not complied with CPE's directions to refund the money.

-CNA/ac

 

[Kyo Kusanagi]

Defunct private school ex-manager fined $16K for failing to keep proper records

Jeremy Low Chia Liang, 32, was fined $16,000 for failing to ensure the keeping of proper records, including records containing information on the administration of courses offered by SAS in relation to the students.

By Elena Chong
The Straits Times
Thursday, Jan 17, 2013

SINGAPORE - Jeremy Low Chia Liang, 32, then manager of the School of Applied Studies (SAS) in Park Mall, admitted failing to ensure that proper records, including records containing information on the administration of courses offered by SAS, were kept between December 2009 and October 2010.

Get the full story from The Straits Times.

Read the full statement from the Council for Private Education (CPE) below:

Jeremy Low, former manager of the now defunct School of Applied Studies (SAS), has pleaded guilty to the following contraventions of the Private Education Act[1]:

Section 41(1)(a)(i) - Failure to perform the duties of a manager in keeping proper student records

Section 60(2)(a) - Failure to ensure that the SAS complies with a direction issued by the Council for Private Education (CPE) to refund students

Low, 32, was found guilty and fined a total of $16,000, or in default face a combined jail term of sixteen weeks, for the above two charges. A third charge - of making a false statement to the CPE as part of the SAS' EduTrust certification application - was taken into consideration for purposes of sentencing in court today.

CPE commenced investigations on the SAS after receiving an anonymous complaint in October 2010, and was informed by the SAS that it had decided to cease operations due to financial difficulties. CPE's assistance was sought to place its 300 students in other PEIs.

The CPE and the SAS held a joint briefing with affected students on 20 Oct 2010 to provide information on placement options, as well as administrative details such as procedures to claim outstanding course fees from insurance companies and escrow[2] banks.

108 students were successfully placed in nine EduTrust-certified private education institutes (PEIs) through CPE's intervention. Of the remaining students, some had graduated, while others indicated that they did not require placement assistance, or were uncontactable.

In the course of its investigations, CPE discovered that the SAS had collected course fees for a degree programme that had not been conducted. SAS did not comply with CPE's directions to refund the money to date.

In addition, Low has failed to ensure the keeping of proper records, which flouted the Private Education Act.

Said Mr Brandon Lee, Chief Executive Officer, CPE, "All PEIs have an obligation to their students. By taking errant operators and managers to task, CPE sends a strong signal to PEIs that they need to fulfil the obligations of the Private Education Act, or face punitive measures. We maintain a vigilant watch against errant PEIs and managers, and ensure that all PEIs meet the mandatory registration requirements and legislative obligations."