Probe into costly uni aircraft course

The Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation Ministry has ordered a probe into a complaint that a university in Bangkok opened a substandard aircraft repair technician course charging almost a million baht to enrol and study.
The minister, Supamas Isarabhakdi, said she had instructed the ministry’s permanent secretary, Supachai Pathumnakul, to appoint a team to investigate the issue, which was made public by Weerachai Phutthawong, a lecturer at Kasetsart University. On Tuesday, Mr Weerachai said via his Facebook page that he had received student complaints about an aircraft repair technician course offered by a Bangkok-based university.
The students said the university promised them a degree if they paid the full course fee.
The complainants alleged that instructors often cancelled classes despite the steep enrolment fee of 500,000 baht and almost 500,000 baht in other hidden expenses.
In a course brochure, the university claimed graduates would be granted an aircraft repair certificate accredited by the European Aviation Safety Agency.
However, people who have already graduated obtained certificates issued by a private company that trained them during the course. The graduates said no employer would hire holders of such certificates, according to Mr Weerachai.