Since the SPM examinations are now over, many students have been searching for various options to further their education either locally or abroad, depending on the cheaper option. Both parents and students are generally attracted to advertisements offering cheap education for a shorter span of time. Thus far, the most enticing advertisements have been the ones offering professional undergraduate studies for a low fee in Indonesia.

For example, a medical degree done at a local college would easily cost RM333,000. Whereas Indonesian degree programmes offered by these agents who advertise in the local dailies, cost RM163,000. Statistically speaking, these programmes are 51 percent cheaper than the local medical programmes, giving parents savings of RM170,000.

Besides the cost factor, other promising benefits are also inserted into these advertisements such as free insurance and accommodation, instalment schemes for fees as well as a medical degree which is recognised by the Jabatan Perkhidmatan Awam (JPA) and Malaysian Medical Council (MMC).

Everything sounds very exciting and has definitely convinced middle-class parents into sending their children overseas to further their education and return to the country as a doctor. However, if one actually takes the time and effort to investigate a bit further into these promises, one will be shocked to know that not all medical degrees are recognised by the JPA and MMC.

The victims are the middle-class parents who have already paid RM60,000 to RM70,000 as tuition fees and registration fees. They have no alternative but to continue financing this unrecognised programme as they do not want to lose their deposits.

I would like to request all parents to beware and do thorough investigations with JPA and MMC before losing your hard-earned money.