First-year student registrations at Inholland higher education college are down by 30 percent in the first intake since a corruption scandal at the college hit the headlines last year.

Inholland found itself at the centre of a public outcry when it emerged that struggling students were handed easy passes to boost income, while former administrators were accused of fiddling expenses.

Director Doekle Terpstra says the college was expecting a drop in new student numbers due to all the adverse publicity but admits to De Telegraaf newspaper that the actual figures come as an unpleasant surprise.

The 30 percent decrease amounts to between three and four thousand fewer students. "That’s a significant number,” observes Mr Terpstra, announcing that staff cuts will be inevitable.

(dd)

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