TAFE SA boss Robin Murt quits, chairman Peter Vaughan set to be dropped as hundreds of students left unaccredited

HUNDREDS of TAFE SA students in substandard courses will be forced to undergo new assessments, as Education Minister Susan Close declared the organisation “in crisis” and announced its chief executive had quit.

• BASIC FAILURES: What the report found
• 2017 — Dozens of TAFE students pass despite withdrawing from subjects
• National regulator found problems with every TAFE SA course reviewed
• TAFE SA warned 16 courses in danger of losing accreditation
• Aircraft maintenance TAFE students lose accreditation
• 2016 — More than 90 TAFE SA students get pass grades despite withdrawing
• Read Robin Murt’s column in which he staunchly defended TAFE SA

HUNDREDS of TAFE SA students in substandard courses will be forced to undergo new assessments, as Education Minister Susan Close declared the organisation “in crisis” and announced that its chief executive had quit.

Dr Close said she would also ask Governor Hieu Van Le to dismiss TAFE SA board chair Peter Vaughan because she no longer had confidence in him.

Robin Murt has quit as TAFE SA chief executive

Chief executive Robin Murt has resigned and an independent review of the organisation would be announced soon, she said.

“TAFE SA is in crisis, this is very serious for them. There are deep problems but we will fix them,” Dr Close (above right) vowed.

A scathing report released by the Australian Skills Quality Authority on Monday found problems with all 16 of the courses randomly selected for audit. Enrolments have been suspended in 14 of the courses — four of which TAFE SA no longer offers.

What the report found: Read what failings the audit identified

The 800 affected students are studying courses including hairdressing, building and construction, plumbing, commercial cookery and aged care.

“The students involved in this situation who are currently enrolled will have some remediation,” Dr Close said. “They will have some form of assessment or a little bit more that they will need to study. All will go through that process and graduate.”

Students directly affected by the news will be notified by email or can call 1800 882 661. All TAFE SA students will receive information about the audit and other subsequent changes. The TAFE SA Board will meet today to discuss the crisis.

Australian Education Union president Howard Spreadbury said there was now a “level of uncertainty” for students finishing high school this year.

Ex-TAFE SA chief executive Robin Murt signs an agreement with Issam Kazim, chief executive of Dubai Corporation for Tourism and Commerce Marketing in Dubai.

“There is a chance that the courses they may have wanted to pursue are not even running next year,” he said. “The AEU would like to see wholesale reinvestment in the TAFE sector. It is a shame they are going to run an independent review which will only show they should have invested more from the start.”

Dr Close said: “I am so concerned about the future of TAFE and the need for people to have confidence in TAFE that I will be setting up an independent review, not only because of the quality issues but to look at the role TAFE SA plays in this changing economy and into the future.

“I am deeply concerned about prospective students, some of (whom) have just finished high school.”

This morning Dr Close told ABC Radio Adelaide the Government would “bend over backwards” to ensure all the students were looked after and that none would be left out of pocket.

“We’ve got a lot to do to restore confidence,” she said.

Opposition education spokesman John Gardner said the scandal had left the reputation of TAFE SA “in tatters”.

“The reputation of TAFE SA has been butchered by this government and it is frankly a disgrace,” Mr Gardner said.

“Almost a thousand students are under a very dark cloud after this and the problem needs to be sorted. They deserve a future and a good Christmas.

Education Minister Susan Close

“We are at the bottom of a big hill which is ahead of us to improve TAFE SA.”

Mr Gardner said the most alarming part of the report was that none of the 16 courses were up to scratch, casting doubt over the remaining courses and thousands of students.

“There are literally hundreds of questions, to go with the hundreds of courses, which need to be answered by Minister Close,” Mr Gardner said. “Students need a solid education system as much as the state needs a skilled and well-trained workforce.”

Greens MP Tammy Franks said the disarray throughout TAFE SA was an opportunity to restructure the education service and return it to public ownership. “The Greens are calling for the decorporatisation of TAFE and for it to be put back in public hands,” Ms Franks said.

“From talking to those at the chalkface we already knew there was a serious problem in our skills training sector, but now it is dire.” She said “full ministerial accountability” must be restored.

TAFE SA is no longer able to accept new enrolments in

 Certificate III in Automotive Refinishing Technology

 Certificate III in Motorcycle Mechanical Technology

 Certificate II in Meat Processing (Abattoirs)

 Certificate III in Commercial Cookery

 Certificate III in Individual Support (Ageing)

 Certificate IV in Leisure and Health

 Certificate III in Hairdressing

 Diploma of Visual Merchandising

 Diploma of Building and Construction

 Certificate III in Plumbing

TAFE SA — The story so far

MAY, 2017 — A CASA investigation casts doubt on accreditation of TAFE SA aircraft safety students

SEPTEMBER 25, 2017 — ASQA issues a notice of “intention to remove or suspend” 16 TAFE SA qualifications.

SEPTEMBER 28, 2017 — Education Minister Susan Close announces the formation of a taskforce to investigate course failures.

OCTOBER 2017 — The Auditor General finds 45 students have passed courses despite having withdrawn and receiving a course fee refund.

OCTOBER 15, 2017 — Dr Close goes on annual leave as the fate of 2500 students hangs in the balance.

COURSES NO LONGER ACCEPTING ENROLMENT:

Cert. II in Meat Processing (Abattoirs). Cert. III in Automotive Refinishing Technology, Motorcycle Mechanical Technology, Commercial Cookery, Individual Support (Ageing), Hairdressing, Plumbing. Cert. IV in Leisure and Health. Diploma of Building and Construction, Visual Merchandising.