Update on targeted audits of VET FEE-HELP providers

Transcription

1 Update n targeted audits f VET FEE-HELP prviders 25 Nvember 2015 On 20 Octber 2015, the Australian Skills Quality Authrity (ASQA), the natinal regulatr fr vcatinal educatin and training, released a reprt f the findings f its targeted audits f VET FEE-HELP-apprved prviders. The reprt f the findings is available n the ASQA website. ASQA s audits were prmpted by an increase in the number f cmplaints it had received frm students abut VET FEE-HELP. ASQA received 110 VET FEE- HELP cmplaints in the perid up t 31 December These cmplaints were analysed and 16 RTOs apprved fr VET FEE-HELP that were f cncern t ASQA were identified. An additin, a cntrl grup f five RTOs fr which there had nt been any recent cmplaints were included. These RTOs were selected because each was a large prvider with a significant number f students enrlled under VET FEE-HELP arrangements. The results f the 21 targeted audits and 417 student interviews undertaken by ASQA indicated that there were cncerning levels f nn-cmpliance with the Standards fr Registered Training Organisatins 2015 amng certain RTOs apprved fr VET FEE-HELP. ASQA s reprt detailed the findings f 16 f the 21 audits as fllws: Cntact fficer Sctt Chandler (07) [email protected] Seven RTOs were able t demnstrate full cmpliance with the relevant requirements f the VET Quality Framewrk and NVR Act at the cnclusin f the audit. ASQA des nt intend t take any further actin in relatin t these RTOs. These RTOs were: Australis Cllege Pty Ltd (RTO 31518) trading as Australis Cllege, Australis Natural Health Cllege, Beauty Skills Academy, Ipswich Schl f Beauty and Lauder Beauty Pragmatic Training Pty Ltd as trustee fr Training Trust (RTO ) trading as Pragmatic Training Pty Ltd, Pragmatic Training Curses, Natinal Academy f Early Childhd, Natinal Academy f Beauty, Natinal Academy f Technlgy and Australian Institute f Business Leadership Unity Cllege Australia Incrprated (RTO 6330) trading as Unity Cllege Australia Flight Training Adelaide Pty Ltd (RTO 40173) trading as Flight Training Adelaide/Adelaide Flight Training Centre and Adelaide Flight Training Centre The Academy f Interactive Entertainment Ltd (RTO 88021) Media release Update n targeted audits f VET FEE-HELP prviders, 25 Nvember 2015 Page 1 f 5

2 Australian Careers Institute Pty Ltd (RTO ) trading as Sage Academic & Sage Massage, Sage Institute f Child Care, Sage Institute f Sales, Sage Institute f Fitness, Sage Institute f Educatin, Sage Institute f Aged Care, Sage Institute f Massage and Sage Institute f Business Sunraysia Institute f TAFE (RTO 4693) trading as Sunraysia Institute f TAFE. Eight RTOs were able t demnstrate full cmpliance with the relevant requirements f the VET Quality Framewrk and NVR Act at the cnclusin f the audit prcess. Hwever, ASQA determined that the impsitin f certain cnditins was warranted, based n the issues examined during the audit and the cmmitments made by these RTOs t address these issues. These RTOs were: Access Grup Training Pty Ltd (RTO 90867) trading as Access Grup Training ACTE Pty Ltd (RTO 31455) trading as Australian Cllege f Training and Emplyment; EVOCCA Cllege, Nuvcca, and EMPACER Careers Australia Educatin Institute Pty Ltd (RTO 22479) trading as Careers Australia Educatin Institute Pty Ltd, ACAE Aust Cllege f Applied Educatin Gurkhas Institute f Technlgy Pty Ltd (RTO 22088) trading as Ryal Gurkhas Institute f Technlgy (RGIT) Australia and Gurkhas Institute f Hspitality & Management Internatinal Skills Institute Pty Ltd (RTO 40541) trading as Internatinal Skills Institute MHM Australasia Pty Ltd (RTO 6980) trading as Australasian Cllege Bradway (NOTE: The RTO has appealed t the AAT abut the impsitin f cnditins) Smart City Vcatinal Cllege Pty Ltd (RTO 6494 trading as Smart City Vcatinal Cllege The Health Arts Cllege Pty Ltd (RTO 21588) trading as The Health Arts Cllege. One RTO, Unique Internatinal Cllege Pty Ltd (RTO 91350) trading as Unique Internatinal Cllege had its registratin cancelled under the Natinal Vcatinal Educatin and Training Regulatr Act 2011 (NVR Act) and the Educatin Services fr Overseas Students Act 2000 (ESOS Act). The RTO has applied t the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) fr a review f ASQA s decisins and a stay f thse decisins pending a hearing f the review applicatins. The date n which ASQA s decisins cme int effect has been extended pending the AAT s determinatin n the RTO s stay applicatins. The remaining five RTOs were still subject t nging regulatry scrutiny by ASQA at the time f the reprt s release. This scrutiny has nw been finalised in three f the five cases and ASQA can advise f the results f thse audits. Hlmesglen Institute (RTO number 0416) - trading as Hlmesglen Institute ASQA s audit fund areas f nn-cmpliance in the prvider s training and assessment strategies and assessment systems; the amunt f training being prvided; supprt being prvided t students; and infrmatin being prvided t prspective learners. Media release Update n targeted audits f VET FEE-HELP prviders, 25 Nvember 2015 Page 2 f 5

3 The RTO prvided rectificatin evidence as t hw it had addressed these matters, hwever minr nn-cmpliances remained with clauses 1.1 and 1.8 f the natinal Standards. Based n this, ASQA issued the RTO with a written directin t rectify the remaining nn-cmpliances. Crnerstne Investment Australia Pty Ltd (RTO 5500) trading as Australian Institute f Cmmerce and Language and EMPOWER INSTITUTE ASQA had received cmplaints abut students being enrlled in curses withut their knwledge r permissin r being aware that they had incurred a VET FEE-HELP debt. The audit fund nn-cmpliance in the areas f student recruitment and mnitring f recruitment by third parties, prvisin f learner supprt, assessment, marketing and mnitring f marketing by third parties, insufficient trainers and assessrs fr the numbers f students enrlled and cnsumer infrmatin regarding fees and payment terms. The RTO prvided rectificatin evidence as t hw it had addressed these matters which ASQA cnsidered. On the basis f the revised audit findings, n 23 Nvember 2015 ASQA fund the RTO remained critically nn-cmpliant and as a result it gave ntice f its intentin t cancel the prvider s registratin - r impse a lesser sanctin - under bth the NVR Act and the ESOS Act. As is standard practice, the prvider has 20 wrking days t respnd t ASQA s ntice f intentin. After this perid a decisin will be made, fllwing analysis f any respnse by the prvider. Study Grup Australia Pty Ltd (RTO 5806) trading as ACPE Academy, Martin Cllege, Australian Institute f Applied Sciences and Embassy English During the audit undertaken ASQA, the RTO advised that it had recently changed its practices in respnse t cncerns it had identified in relatin t its enrlment prcess and assessment f students prir t enrlment. ASQA reviewed these changes as part f the RTO s existing practice at the time f the audit. Ntwithstanding these changes, the audit fund nn-cmpliance with the Standards in relatin t assessment practices. In respnse, the RTO has implemented strategies t address these issues. On the basis f the audit findings and the subsequent strategies the RTO implemented t address nn-cmpliance, ASQA fund the RTO cmpliant at the cnclusin f the audit. Hwever, n the basis f the audit findings ASQA cnsiders it necessary t mnitr the RTO s implementatin f these strategies and fr further dcumentatin t be cllected t allw ASQA t effectively undertake this mnitring. As a result, ASQA has impsed, under sectin 29(1) f the NVR Act, the fllwing cnditins n the RTO s registratin: the RTO is required t retain enrlment and assessment recrds fr 12 mnths, and the RTO is required t reprt data back t ASQA n a regular basis. This will allw ASQA t check the imprved practices have been implemented and t mnitr these imprvements. Cllege f Creative Design and Arts Pty Ltd (RTO 32401) trading as Cllege f Creative Design and Arts and Keystne Cllege During the audit undertaken ASQA, the RTO advised that it had recently changed its practices in respnse t cncerns it had identified in relatin t its enrlment prcess and assessment f students prir t enrlment. ASQA reviewed these changes as part f the RTO s existing practice at the time f the audit. Ntwithstanding these Media release Update n targeted audits f VET FEE-HELP prviders, 25 Nvember 2015 Page 3 f 5

4 changes, the audit fund nn-cmpliance with the Standards in relatin t assessment practices. In respnse, the RTO has implemented strategies t address these issues. On the basis f the audit findings and the subsequent strategies the RTO implemented t address nn-cmpliance, ASQA fund the RTO cmpliant. On the basis f the audit findings, hwever, ASQA cnsiders it necessary t mnitr the RTO s implementatin f these strategies and fr further dcumentatin t be cllected t allw ASQA t effectively undertake this mnitring. As a result, ASQA has impsed, under sectin 29(1) f the NVR Act, the fllwing cnditins n the RTO s registratin: the RTO is required t retain enrlment and assessment recrds fr 12 mnths, and the RTO is required t reprt data back t ASQA n a regular basis. This will allw ASQA t check the imprved practices have been implemented and t mnitr these imprvements. Australian Institute f Prfessinal Educatin Pty Ltd (RTO 91437) trading as AIPE, Australian Institute f Prfessinal Educatin, Studynline and Study Cnnect ASQA had received cmplaints abut students being enrlled in curses withut their knwledge r permissin, resulting in a VET FEE-HELP debt. The RTO claimed it had imprved marketing material and clarified the withdrawal prcess. Ntwithstanding these changes, the audit fund nn-cmpliance with the Standards fr RTOs Specifically, the audit fund nn-cmpliances in the areas f student recruitment and mnitring f recruitment by third parties, prvisin f learner supprt, assessment, marketing and mnitring f marketing by third parties, and cnsumer infrmatin regarding fees and payment terms. The RTO prvided rectificatin evidence n 7 August 2015 as t hw it had addressed these matters. The rectificatin evidence did nt demnstrate that the RTO has addressed the identified nn-cmpliances. On the basis f the analysis f the rectificatin evidence, the RTO remained critically nn-cmpliant. Therefre the Cmmissiners gave AIPE ntice that ASQA intends t make a decisin t cancel the RTO s VET registratin and t cancel its CRICOS registratin, r impse a lesser sanctin. The Cmmissiners made this decisin n 27 Octber The RTO was given ntice f the decisin n 4 Nvember The RTO has until 2 December 2015 t prvide a written respnse t the ntice f intentin. Further actins Between 1 January and 20 Octber 2015, ASQA received a further 162 cmplaints with a VET FEE-HELP cmpnent. Eighty-ne f these cmplaints were in relatin t the 21 RTOs audited as part f this prject. Twenty-five f the cmplaints relate t a further five prviders f cncern t ASQA. Of these five RTOs, fur are currently subject t regulatry activity which had nt been finalised at the time f this reprt. The fifth, Phenix Institute f Australia Pty Ltd (RTO 21582), was ntified f ASQA s intentin t cancel its registratin n 12 Octber Phenix respnded t ASQA s ntice n 9 Nvember ASQA Cmmissiners cnsidered the respnse and evidence prvided and, n 23 Nvember 2015, cancelled the prvider s registratin under the NVR Act and its registratin fr VET curses under the ESOS Act. ASQA s decisin will take effect frm 6 January The prvider is able t seek a review f ASQA s decisins by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal. Media release Update n targeted audits f VET FEE-HELP prviders, 25 Nvember 2015 Page 4 f 5

5 In respnse t what it has learnt thrugh its targeted audits f VET FEE-HELP RTOs, ASQA will implement a number f actins which it believes will minimise the risk f any unethical r inapprpriate actin taken by RTOs in relatin t the VET FEE-HELP lan scheme. These actins include: cntinuing t clsely mnitr and target RTOs apprved fr VET FEE-HELP where cmplaints and intelligence data, and the utcmes f its targeted audits, indicate this is necessary cntinuing t engage with the Australian Cmpetitin and Cnsumer Cmmissin (ACCC) and the Department f Educatin and Training (DET) t share regulatry intelligence and crdinate regulatry actin t ensure RTOs nt cmplying with the Standards are penalised t the full extent f the respective laws establishing a dedicated wrking grup with DET t cntinue sharing intelligence n areas f risk and emerging risk, and develping additinal infrmatin abut the Standards fr RTOs 2015 as well as infrmatin t assist ptential students make infrmed decisins abut chsing a training prvider. Media release Update n targeted audits f VET FEE-HELP prviders, 25 Nvember 2015 Page 5 f 5