Closure Of Private School Leaves Students Stranded

SINGAPORE - Hundreds of students and staff of The School of Applied Studies (SAS) were left angry and frustrated after the private education institution announced its sudden closure on Wednesday.

"All my hard work has gone to waste," lamented Ms Suriati Mohamed Sidek, 19, who was one module away from completing her diploma in applied psychology.

Another student, who only gave her name as Iyliana, feared for the $32,000 in fees she had paid. The council said it is working out the payouts to individual students with fee protection insurance providers and escrow banks.

Each student's payout will depend on the amount of unconsumed fees, added the council.

However, it has not been awarded the EduTrust Certification, which stipulates higher standards in key areas of management and provision of educational services. Calls to SAS chief executive officer Jeremy Low's mobile phone went unanswered yesterday