Indicators of Quality in Private Schools

10 Institutions Awarded EduTrust Certification (4-Year Validity):

1. At-Sunrice Academy
2. East Asia Institute of Management
3. ERC Institute
4. James Cook Australia Institute of Higher Learning
5. KLC School of Education
6. Parkway College of Nursing and Allied Health
7. PSB Academy
8. Singapore Institute of Management
9. Singapore Institute of Materials Management
10. TMC Academy

19 Institutions Awarded EduTrust Certification (1-Year Validity):

1. Academies Australasia College
2. Ascensia Academy
3. Beacon School of Technology
4. Curtin Education Centre
5. Dimensions International College
6. FIS Education Centre
7. Hanbridge School
8. Kaplan Higher Education Academy
9. SAA Global Education Centre
10. SAE Institute
11. SGP International Management Academy
12. Shelton College International
13. Sirius Training & Education Institute
14. Smartteam School of Management
15. SSTC School for Further Education
16. Stalford Academy
17. Unitedworld School of Business
18. Victoria Eduhub
19. Zhicheng Private School

CaseTrust Certification by the Consumer Association of Singapore (CASE):
CaseTrust primarily emphasizes tuition fee insurance. Fees paid by students to any educational institution in Singapore are monitored by a CASE-designated bank and insured. In simple terms, if the school closes or declares bankruptcy, students are guaranteed a refund of their tuition fees. CaseTrust also ensures some level of educational quality, such as teacher-student ratios, teacher qualifications, and class sizes. However, its requirements are relatively lenient, and approximately 140 private institutions have attained CaseTrust certification.

EduTrust Overview:
Since December 2009, the Committee for Private Education (CPE), with support from the Singapore government, has developed a new certification standard for private institutions in Singapore authorized to enroll international students. This certification, known as EduTrust, replaces CaseTrust and the Singapore Quality Class (SQC).

EduTrust is divided into three levels:

1. EduTrust Provisional (valid for 1 year)
2. EduTrust (valid for 4 years)
3. EduTrust Star (an excellent rating, also valid for 4 years)

These levels are assessed on a 1,000-point scale based on various criteria that emphasize quality for both local and international students.

Statement from Singapore Tourism Board (STB):
Ms. Tan Yen Nee, Deputy Director of the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), which also oversees study-abroad promotions, stated to Thanh Niên:
"If a private institution in Singapore fails to qualify for or renew its EduTrust certification upon expiry, current students will not be affected and their rights will remain protected under the EduTrust certification."

She added that by Q4 this year, STB plans to officially communicate in Vietnam about EduTrust certification to inform parents and students considering studying abroad. Moving forward, STB will promote only institutions with the 4-year EduTrust certification.

Current EduTrust Status:
So far, only 10 institutions have received the 4-year EduTrust certification, 19 have received the 1-year certification, and no institution has yet achieved the EduTrust Star level.

T.Phước (TNOL)