Private colleges are fighting each other in order to survive in these hard times. They are in full swing on the recruitment bandwagon for students, both foreign and local, in the new term. Many of the private colleges are offering 'dubious' courses, programmes and qualifications in the name of creating the great Malaysian education hub.

One such 'reputable' college has been making such inroads over the last 20 years in the Klang Valley. It continues to enroll foreign students by the hordes. Some foreign students enter as tourists and later apply for student visas. Their backgrounds are mysterious as they are often not vetted and are often only semi-literate. When they fail in the first college, they transfer to the next college. They don't complain as this allows them to remain in Malaysia indefinitely, to avoid the hardship that they have to endure in their homeland.

But private education in Malaysia seems to be in the hands of greedy highway robber barons who prey on the pockets and hearts of these unsuspecting foreign victims. These gold-diggers promise a 'rich and diverse educational learning environment' as their advertising gimmick plus a claimed easy progression towards the completion of a degree. Foreign students are naturally hoodwinked into believing that there is indeed an excellent qualification awaiting them at the end of the rainbow.

So having paid high tuition fees, they have high expectations. But once in Malaysia, they become greatly disillusioned when reality bites them poor grades due to strict monitoring and evaluation systems, mismatched courses of study, etc. The point is these student are academically weak and shouldn't have been accepted in the first place.

Our unscrupulous private education people, however, are indifferent to the needs and welfare of these foreign students. For example, for one UK business franchise programme, the students are shortchanged; paying high franchise fees and studying in shoplots situated directly opposite a smelly and noisy market place! The timetables are badly planned without any regard for student break times. In addition, there are limited parking facilities for staff and students alike.

To add insult to injury, this college's vicinity is a haven for snatch-thefts, robberies and mugging and other undesirable activities. Where is the college's corporate social responsibility towards student welfare or towards the community? Hardly conducive towards reflecting a British university's standard of education.

Globalising education in Malaysia comes with a heavy price tag. Many private educators have lowered or completely waived minimum entry requirements in order to attract students. Private colleges in Malaysia seem to operate according to the motto of the feared French Legionnaires: 'All and sundry are welcome to stay and prosper'. By admitting bums, loafers, riff-raff and drop- outs, private colleges seem to be on a mission to increase student population and amass a fortune at the same time.

In a nutshell, they profess quality standards but in reality, are they honestly conducting education in the most conscionable way? Our private education highway robber-barons are quietly carting away millions away at the expense of those wanting to get an honest head start in their lives.

On whose turf will these inconsistencies be resolved? Or should we limit the participation of private educators in the field to prevent further deterioration and an eventual erosion of reasonable standards and quality?