Universities and misleading ads

Universities and misleading ads

From Kompas

Advertisements of various private universities and colleges
seeking senior high school students are published in many papers
and magazines.

Although those private universities or colleges, whose names
we sometimes never hear of, are usually the second choice for the
students (if they cannot enter state universities), they
regularly campaign on their lofty credentials. They do not attach
complete information in the advertisements which is actually
badly needed by both students and their parents.

The problem is the candidates never fully know the quality of
the universities until they actually become students of the
universities.

Take for example, a private university advertisement in Kompas
daily recently which stated that it offered a 'special quality'.
But the ad didn't explain what that was. No wonder, the
university will also produce a 'special' student.

I wonder whether such a university places a higher priority on
money or high standards?

Why don't the authorities and educators give complete
information by printing a guidebook of undergraduate or graduate
degrees which are offered by both private and state universities.
Furthermore, the mass media can set up a special column which
provides details about all universities and colleges and how to
get a ticket into one of them.

This is important for students, especially those who are not
residents of the cities where the colleges are located, to choose
the right college.

One thing which we should remember is that the students who
come from Indonesia's middle class - the new consumers who
haven't thought in a critical way - will be fooled by the smart
people (the owners of private universities) by ignoring the
required information.

HERO GUNTORO

Salatiga, Central Java