TAFE SA: Gardner flags fresh start after Labor failures

The Liberal government in South Australia has signalled thorough reform of its TAFE system.

SA Education Minister John Gardner

The South Australian government has signalled major reforms to the state’s problem-plagued TAFE system which led to 10 of its courses being suspended last year following a random audit by the Australian Skills Quality Agency.

In a statement delivered yesterday with its first budget, the Liberal state government said the organisation needed to change following the failures in office of its Labor predecessor.

“TAFE SA’s leadership and the former government’s oversight failed staff, students and the people of South Australia,” Education Minister John Gardner said.

He tabled two reviews of SA TAFE, both commissioned by the previous government.

They clearly document a “downturn in performance and emphasise the need for organisation wide reform”, he said.

“Expectations of quality training fell short in a number of fields,” the Education Minister noted, adding: “The strategic direction of the organisation was not aligned to South Australians’ training needs.”

One of the reports, a the TAFE SA strategic capability review carried out by Terry Moran, a former secretary of the Department of Prime Minister and cabinet, and former public servant Kim Bannikoff, says that because of “an absence of strategy, poor leadership, and the centralisation of decision-making and resources” the last four years were a “lost opportunity” for TAFE SA and the state.

It recommends that the organisation should be less centralised, with authority and accountability shifted to regional and campus level; a clear strategy be prepared for TAFE SA; a new funding model be implemented with “new-generation performance measures”; and innovative educational leadership be emphasised at all levels.

Mr Gardner told state parliament that the government would give TAFE SA “a fresh start” and create a vocational education market based on “contestability, access and choice”.

He said a new funding model for vocational education would be introduced from July 1, 2019. “This will provide transparency and include clear arrangements for how TAFE SA will be appropriately resourced in order to deliver the social obligations we expect of our public provider,” Mr Gardner said.

He said there would “need to be changes to the TAFE SA training profile and greater alignment with community and industry needs”.

“At the same time, course fee structures will be reviewed to ensure fees are appropriate to the market,” the minister said.

Mr Gardner also foreshadowed a rationalisation of TAFE SA campuses because some of them were expensive to run, not fit for purpose and not well utilised.

“As TAFE SA responds to the needs of industry, enterprises and learners, the amount of training delivered in the workplace will increase, as will the use of technology,” he said.

Mr Gardner said that in future TAFE SA would “operate with a clear understanding of its cost structure to ensure viability and prevent budget shortfalls and reliance on government”.

He said a new TAFE SA board would be installed soon.