The education minister must stand firm in the face of demands by the Malaysian Association of Private Colleges and Universities (Mapcu) on Jan 17 to lower the entrance qualification of universities and colleges.

Far too many tertiary institutions have mushroomed - it is about time to cut back and maintain the standard of tertiary education. Public universities in the past, which have been molly-coddled with grants, have been overdoing things - spending and developing courses which are not in tune with the needs of the country. By cutting back and forcing them to generate their own funds, they cannot survive without the student numbers. It is high time they take a hard look at themselves and trim their cost or become dinosaurs.

As for the private colleges/university colleges, they are no better than tutorial colleges operating initially from commercial buildings and shoplots. In the past, without the regulation from LAN (National Accreditation Board) and Education Ministry, they have been doing extremely well with their own designed fast-track 3+0, 2+1, advanced diploma and higher diploma courses.

Anyone who can pay their fees are accepted through the front door, as well as the back door (pre-diploma, foundation courses, breaching courses, English improvement courses, etc). There are a larger pool of SPM holders with average results (lesser credits) unable to gain entrance into the public sector colleges/universities who found themselves being welcomed and accepted by these private ones. The more the merrier, as their noble aim is to satisfy the shareholders. Those who have graduated with any diploma were given equivalent standing and exemption for the degree programme applied.

So with the large intake and their acquired wealth, some have established themselves with their own newly built campuses, but still basically diploma and degree mills churning out mainly undercooked graduates with their rushed semester programmes (two years eight months in some). Without proper breaks, they are hardly able to digest and absorb what is taught.

Now suddenly with the government stepping in to regulate the sunrise education industry to maintain some minimum decorum and standards with the five credits requirements for a basic degree programme, they are crying foul with the drop in enrolment. Whilst tertiary education is not for the elite, neither should it be opened for every Tom, Dick and Harry. Otherwise we may have Roti Canai, B Sc or Char Kueh Teow, M Sc soon in Malaysia