Education, Training and Skills Minister Blair Boyer introduces TAFE SA reform Bill to parliament
Apprentices and other students could be banned from TAFE SA campuses under proposed sweeping law changes.
TAFE SA students could be banned for up to two years for swearing, making threats or other offensive behaviour, under proposed new laws to overhaul the training provider.
The legislation introduces the option of barring notices which could be imposed on students, staff, parents or other visitors to TAFE campuses.
They are similar to powers already available to principals of public schools to bar parents and others from campuses.
If the new laws pass, a person could be barred from TAFE SA for the worst cases of offensive, threatening, abusive or insulting conduct for a maximum of two years.
Education, Training and Skills Minister Blair Boyer said the bans should be a “strong deterrent for those who choose to abuse, threaten or intimidate our staff or students”.
“Some of the behaviour I’ve heard happening on campus is completely unacceptable,” he said.
Latest figures show 108 parents were barred from primary or secondary public schools last year – down from 137 in 2023.
However, the number has surged from just 38 in 2020.
Last year, there were 246 formal warnings given for threatening or violent behaviour by school parents or carers – up from 232 the previous year.
The number of “respectful communication reminders” issued has surged from 14 to 163 over the same period.
In addition to the barring powers, Mr Boyer said the TAFE SA Bill would make a raft of other changes to the public training provider.
These include:
MAKING TAFE SA a statutory authority to ensure it operates “in the interests of the public, rather than focusing on profit”.
REQUIRING it to implement a business plan and statement of priority.
BRINGING industry leaders onto the TAFE SA board.
RESPONDING to “rapid and emerging challenges” such as artificial intelligence.
ENGAGING indigenous educators to provide training in line with Closing the Gap targets.
Mr Boyer said the new laws would mean TAFE SA “will need to prioritise delivering things like new courses that our state needs, training more students in regional areas and offering more support services for students”.
“With major projects underway in the defence industry, construction, early childhood and health, TAFE SA is vital to delivering the skilled workforce we need,” he said.
The Bill is being introduced to state parliament this week.
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Originally published as Education, Training and Skills Minister Blair Boyer introduces TAFE SA reform Bill to parliament
