For me this is not an insurmountable problem, but I will not be involved in a deceit (and No, I am not suggesting that my colleague was deceitful). It serves no purpose to give students higher grades than their performance merits, and will without question mean that many of those students with artificial grades will have to pay for additional English lessons when they go abroad.

CL,your posts are always thought-provoking,of substance,and enlightening.Such a refreshing change from the run-of-the mill trivialities that occupy some other ESL forums.Please go on posting on the board.This board is a board for man,not for softies and wowsers!
You are a principled man.I wish I could say the same about myself!At one college a few years back,I succumbed to pressure to inflate the lowly grades I had been forced to give my students due to their poor academic performances.I was told that I would lose my end of semester bonus if I didn't toe the line!Well,money is money,and I needed,and deserved that money!