TEMERLOH, March 13 (Bernama) -- Sixty private colleges have been deregistered over the last three years, said Deputy Minister of Higher Education Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah.

He said the reasons for the deregistration among others was because they did not have sufficient lecturers or teaching staff; did not have infrastruture and teaching equipment as set out; and for other reasons of contravening ministry conditions.

"We will not tolerate any college that contravenes conditions and the ministry always monitors them," he told reporters after the 37th Excellence Day of Full Board Schools East Zone Level at the the Temerloh Fully Integrated Boarding School here.

Saifuddin said presently there were more than 300 registered private colleges in the country.

Meanwhile in KUALA LUMPUR, after officiating the Facon Education Fair, Saifuddin said the ministry will soon announce the actual number of places available this year at public institutes of higher education.

Facon Exhibitions Sdn Bhd chairman Tan Sri Yahaya Ibrahim said there were 600 institutes and representatives for higher education both local and foreign who participated in the fair including Berjaya University College of Hospitallity, Brickfields Asia College, HELP University College, International University College, Nanyang Technological University and University of Singapore.

"We believe the information obtained at the fair will help in decision making," he said.

He however advised visitors to bring their examination results and relevant documents to get an accurate assessment when meeting with counsellors and representatives of private institutes of higher education and applying for scholarships and loans.

The fair will also be held in 11 other locations throughout the country including Alor Setar, Penang, Johor Bahru, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu.

The two-day fair that opened today at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre (KLCC) is from noon till 6pm and more information can be got at website www.faconex.com.