China will announce closer supervision of education programs between Chinese and foreign colleges to ensure the quality of teaching students receive, the Ministry of Education said in Beijing Thursday.

 

The ministry's website carried a statement that a recent investigation had uncovered irregular actions at joint educational institutions, the results of some being referred to as "mass incidents".

 

Examples were provided such as students being attracted to certain institutions which displayed bold advertisements but whose teaching was sub-par. Others, which promised international study opportunities, failed to follow through on these or did not grant diplomas to graduates.

 

Such cases, often resulting in students needlessly paying high tuition fees, damaged the hopes and interests of students and their families, the ministry stated.

 

Effective immediately, the ministry will no longer sign off on international joint programs for higher occupational education until 2009. Furthermore, any new applications for joint postgraduate education programs will be subject to very close scrutiny.

 

The ministry has also instructed all provincial educational departments to investigate joint educational programs at once and close up irregular operation. Although no details were provided, a precise evaluation and sanction mechanism for these programs is being worked on.

 

(Xinhua News Agency April 20, 2007)