Investigation into claims that Lifelong College used dodgy documents to fast-track degrees
JENNIFER NGOjennifer.ngo@scmp.com
PUBLISHED : Friday, 13 November, 2015, 12:02am
UPDATED : Friday, 13 November, 2015, 5:37am
The controversy centres on a Lingnan University associate vice-president. Photo: SCMP Pictures
Education chiefs have not ruled out calling in the police over allegations that a private school helped fast-track a Lingnan University associate vice-president's doctorate degree.
Lifelong College has been accused of fast-tracking the award of a PhD degree from the Philippines' Tarlac State University to Herdip Singh, who is also accused of plagiarising his degree thesis.
"If [the college] is suspected to have violated terms in the Non-local Higher and Professional Education (Regulation) Ordinance, we will … open an investigation accordingly," a spokesman for the bureau told the South China Morning Post yesterday.
"If need be, we will involve law enforcement authorities," he added.
Media reports have linked the Lingnan allegations with Lifelong - an educational institution founded and now led by a member of the university's governing council, Dr Alex Lee Ye-lick.
Reports claimed the college had faked documents, including backdating the commencement of programmes, so its students could be awarded degrees faster.
Education-sector lawmaker Ip Kin-yuen said the ordinance regulated 109 public and private schools offering about 458 non-local courses, of which 13 were conducted by Lifelong.
The ordinance is to protect Hong Kong consumers by preventing distance-learning programmes that are not up to scratch from enrolling students.
"This incident reflects the possibility of holes in the current regulatory system," Ip said.
"The government should review the relevant laws as soon as possible so the regulations can fulfil their original aim."
He urged the government to initiate an investigation into both matters - Singh's alleged plagiarism and Lifelong's purported falsification of documents.
"Lee is concurrently principal of Lifelong College and council member of Lingnan University, and this scandal involves Singh, which is shocking," Ip said.
"I call for the university to invite reputable persons outside the school to join its [independent investigation] unit so as to increase transparency."
Tarlac did not respond to queries.
Bath Spa University in Britain, which also partnered Lifelong in offering courses, told the Post: "Bath Spa University treats any allegations of this nature very seriously and whilst these are just allegations, we are currently carrying out an investigation."
Lee was not at Lifelong's offices in Yau Ma Tei and was not reachable by phone. His assistant and director of operations at the centre, Stella Ng, said the school was "gathering relevant information" and would not comment.
http://m.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/education-community/article/1878285/hong-kong-educational-authorities-seek-answers
