by m732 » Tue Apr 13, 2010 8:24 am
Would-be pilots in limbo Down Under
KUALA LUMPUR: The fate of some 25 aspiring Malaysian pilots became uncertain when their flight school in Sydney closed down without warning last week.
The students of Proflite Australia, who have paid their fees and are in the middle of their terms, were shocked when they arrived in class one morning to find that the school had been closed.
Parents of affected students want the Australian government to investigate and take action against the academy.
Perak state assemblyman A. Sivanesan, whose son is one of the students affected, said the school had “clearly breached the law”.
Speaking at a press conference outside the Australian High Commission yesterday, he alleged that students living in school accommodation were also being evicted by their landlords despite having paid for their stay.
Proflite Australia international student co-ordinator Kumar Rajagopal assured parents that the students were protected under the Education Services for Overseas Students Act and that they would either be relocated to another school or have their fees refunded.
Sivanesan and other parents had earlier met with Australian High Commission education counsellor Louise McSorley. A meeting will be held between Australian officials and the affected students in Sydney tomorrow.