SanctimoneyIt has come to my notice that many of you doubt my credentials. 'Er Indoors doesn't, so why should you?
Let me make this absolutely clear once and for all. I have not paid one dime or rupiah for any of my academic accreditations.
I have a B.Ed (Honours) as befits a man of my capabilities and physical attributes, a Certificate in Audio-Visual Aids, awarded in 1967 for my outstanding work with a slate and coloured chalks, and a Doctorate in Divinity from the
Church of Aphrodite, which was noted for its good works on behalf of yet-to-be aging hippies. There is/was absolutely no connection with
this one founded by Gleb Botkin.
Our church has been recognised as being another in the vast panoply of
old time world religions.
We all worship Aphrodite,
And Her sister bold Astarte,
They both throw a lovely party,
And that's just fine with me!
In the Church of Aphrodite
She's a mighty righteous sightie,
The Priestess wears a see through nightie
And she's good enough for me.
I won't go into details, but my doctorate was awarded for services rendered. In the UK, the police authorities recognised my qualification. I recall one momentous occasion when I was returning on my trusty
MZ 250 from a celebration which involved the inhalation of the Holy Sacrament and an officer of the law caught up with me and asked to see my driving licence. He had noted my slight over-exuberance. Reading my honorific ~ Dr. ~ he was very pleased to give me an escort, siren wailing and lights flashing, to the local hospital where he assumed I had an emergency to deal with.
Jakartass readers will be pleased, therefore, that recent revelations here in Jakarta about top people acquiring
faux academic affixes do not concern me.
A former vice president (Hamzah Haz),
several former Cabinet ministers, some Muslim clerics and a number of retired senior police officers are among the prominent figures facing police investigation for allegedly obtaining academic titles from a suspected illegal educational institute.
A National Police spokesman said on Monday that the police were now examining the database of the U.S.-affiliated Institut Manajemen Global Indonesia (IMGI), which lists the former top officials among the approximately 5,000 people it graduated since it was established in 1997.
Most of the officials and police officers obtained the degrees, ranging from bachelor's degrees to doctorates, between 1998 and 1999, before they reached the peaks of their careers.
To receive the degrees, it is alleged people simply had to pay between Rp 1.5 million (US$150) and Rp 5 million.
Apparently there are
another 19 institutions reportedly operating in Jakarta without licenses from the Directorate General of Higher Education at the Ministry of National Education.
The institutes include the International University Transfer Program, the International Agyata Foundation, the American Management University, the American International Institute of Management and Technology, the Washington International University, San Pedro College of Business Administration and Kennedy Western University.You'll note that the Church of Aphrodite is NOT included.
Enough said?
JakartassD.D., B.Ed., Cert. AVA (IKEA)
Email me.
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