VietNamNet Bridge – Following the closure of the Singapore-owned Melior Business School in HCM City, the Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs said it would revoke the licenses granted to several other Singapore-owned schools in the city.

Foreign business school closes down, leaves students in lurch

These include the ERC Institute and the Singapore Informatics & Business Management Education Ltd, according to Vo Phuoc Nguyen, deputy chief of the HCM City's Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs' Vocational Training Division.

Previously, the Ministry of Education and Training had asked HCM City's Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs to revoke the licenses granted to these Singapore-owned schools operating in HCM City.

The Department also issued a decision to revoke the license granted to the Melior Business School in HCM City yesterday, Nov 14.

These were measures to prevent any sudden closure of similar schools in HCM City, said Nguyen.

The Singapore-owned Melior Business School Viet Nam in HCM City has suddenly closed down, leaving around 150 students in the lurch.

Before the closure, in May, the Melior School was fined VND67.5 million (US$3,200) for its illegal affiliation with foreign colleges and for offering undergraduate courses in business management, tourism and hospitality management without a licence.

The licence Melior received in 2009 allowed it to offer only short-term courses in business management, tourism and hospitality management, and English.

In October 2012, the Ministry of Education and Training again fined the school VND10 million ($470) for similar violations.

The Ministry also asked HCM City to withdraw the licence granted to the school.

A representative of the Singaporean General Consulate in HCM City was quoted by Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper as saying that all private schools established in Viet Nam, such as the Melior School, must abide by Viet Nam laws, as their licences were granted by Vietnamese authorities.

If they violated regulations issued by Vietnamese authorities, they must conform to measures proposed by Vietnamese agencies, the Singaporean diplomat said.

VietNamNet/VNS