Hundreds of students at the Beijing TV and Broadcasting University were found cheating in exams held Saturday even as supervisors turned a blind eye to their shenanigans.

In fact, if some accounts are to be believed, they actually helped the students to cheat.

This has clearly turned the spotlight on the country's distance education program.

Whether such learning programs are just diploma mills or bona fide centers of continuing education is a question that is troubling many.

It is unclear if such cheating is rampant elsewhere as well.

In this case, it was reported that the teachers had given students copies of the answers before the exams began.

The higher the number of students passing the exams and getting these academic degrees or diplomas, the more bonuses teachers will be paid by such universities.

The quality of such continuing education programs for adults has already gone down the hill. These days, those who fail to enter universities by passing the national college entrance examinations enroll at these higher learning institutions.

Tuition fees from these students support such universities, and hence, teachers are forced to keep mum about the malpractice. In such a scenario, distance learning programs become a waste of resources and funds, as they will never help improve the overall quality of the labor force.

It is high time that this system of education was overhauled. Emphasis should be placed on how students can benefit from what they learn, rather than on the success rate of diplomas or degree certificates awarded.

In the first place, such universities should never be permitted to become profit-oriented. Supervision needs to be tightened to ensure that these kinds of institutions are shut before they do too much damage.