■國力書院一案揭示了教育局的監管漏洞。 網上圖片【原文】申訴專員公署（The Office of the Ombudsman）3月9日發表調查報告，批評教育局（the Education Bureau）對提供非本地高等專業教育課程的機構監管嚴重不足，亦缺乏明確具體的法律條文及執法指引（legal means and enforcement guidelines），存在不能撤銷原有課程註冊等荒謬情況。
雖然國力書院事件涉及刑事罪行，但教育局作為行政監管當局，在這些惡劣事情（misdemeanour）發生前，應該在行政監管層面做好預防和規管措施，通過定期視察、突擊檢查等手段防患於未然，而不是到情況失控才來制止。
更令人氣憤的是，教育局在問題曝光一年多後，仍不主動去檢討監管不足，反而文過飾非、一推了之，是典型的不作為和懶政（blatant incompetence of the government），尸位素餐的官僚作風必須根治（eradicated）。
國力書院案揭漏洞
國力書院（Lifelong College ）2015年被傳媒揭發涉嫌偽造文書，偽造修業期，讓學員提早取得學位。時至今日，申訴專員公署則揭發（expose）教育局監管存在諸多問題。
首先是監管漏洞百出，只要求新註冊的課程保存學員修讀的文件，對之前註冊的課程就置之不理；有權接受課程註冊，卻無條例去撤銷（remove）課程或學校的註冊。
其次是懶政（lethargic）。法例賦予他們主動突擊巡查（surprise inspections）的權力，但一直沒有做，亦沒有制訂監察程序（monitoring procedures），直到有問題才介入調查。
再次是文過飾非，指問題涉及嚴重刑事罪行，教育局管不到。
對問題嚴重性或估算不足
《教育條例》存在不足（loopholes），作為教育主管（in charge）部門為何不主動提出修訂？國力事件發生已一年多，為何仍要等到今年第三季才檢討？若非申訴專員公署主動調查，教育局是否繼續得過且過？這些疑問，都是市民最想知道，最想教育局回答的。
教育局作為主管特區育人大業的專責部門，市民對其有高要求理所當然。教育局對存在的監管漏洞後知後覺，對問題的嚴重性估計不足，暴露教育部門官僚的顢頇無能。
而事後不肯面對問題，實事求是地作出檢討改善，反而一推了之（evade responsibilities），意圖含混過關，所反映的態度問題，更應該受到關注。
教育局必須嚴肅、全面檢討現行的教育監管機制，主動發現、修補問題，坦誠向公眾交代。 （標題及小標題為編輯所加） （摘錄自文匯報社評10-3-2017）
EDB advised to tighten regulations on non-local study courses
【譯文】The Office of the Ombudsman released a report on 9 March, slamming the Education Bureau (EDB) for its failure to monitor non-local degree courses, and not having enough legal means and enforcement guidelines to deregister providers of fraudulent degrees.
Although the Lifelong College scandal might involve criminal offenses, the EDB could still have done better as a supervisory body. For instance, the authorities should have prevented such misdemeanour by means of regular or surprise inspections, not producing remedies when things go out of control.
However, instead of reviewing its own shortcomings in handling the issue, the Bureau decided to shirk blame and adds fuel to the already raging flames with cover-ups. This is blatant incompetence of the government and such bureaucratic cultures must be eradicated.
College offense exposed loopholes
In 2015, the media exposed that Lifelong College might have forged documents or backdated the registration of some students to enable the premature awarding of academic qualifications. Today, it is the Ombudsman's turn to expose the various inadequacies of the EDB.
First of all is the glaring defect in the current regulatory mechanism. Although new conditions of registration were added during the Ombudsman's investigation. Such conditions were not imposed on already registered courses. Also, the lack of necessary legal means have put the Bureau into a weird position, where it cannot remove a course from the registry once it is registered.
Second, civil servants are lethargic and the government bureaucratic. The law had given power to the EDB to initiate surprise inspections on this kind of non-local educational institutions. Yet, the Bureau failed to utilise such power and it did not devised any monitoring procedures. Officials added the finishing touch to the whole drama by shirking blames, saying that the scandal fell outside the Bureau's jurisdiction since criminal offenses are involved.
Seriousness of problems underrated
As the bureau in charge, why did the EDB not initiate amendments to the Non-local Higher and Professional Education (Regulation) Ordinance when there are noticeable loopholes? It has been over a year since the Lifelong College scandal, why would the review be delayed until the third quarter of 2017? Would the Bureau have taken any action at all had it not been for the Ombudsman's investigation? These are some of the questions that concern the public most.
Being responsible for overseeing the education system of Hong Kong, it is only natural for the general public to have high expectation on the EDB.
However, it has demonstrated its bureaucratic incapacity, failed to acknowledge regulatory loopholes and could not accurately assess the seriousness of the problems it faced. The Bureau's tendency to evade responsibilities and improvements also call for serious attention. It must fully review the current regulatory mechanisms, identify all potential issues, disclose to the public and fix them.■ Jeffrey Tse [ywc_jeffrey@hotmail.com]
Learning point
現時本港共有約1,100多個非本地課程。根據《非本地高等專業教育（規管）條例》，非本地課程水平必須與頒授該學術或專業資格的機構所屬國家同一資格課程比擬，主辦者要按時向非本地課程註冊處提交周年申報表，若課程有任何更動，例如學費調整，亦要向註冊處提交通知；註冊處會抽查非本地課程廣告及網頁跟進有問題個案，按條例要求及既定程序跟進涉嫌違規投訴。