In the latest change, ASQA has canceled the registration of Study Group Australia Pty Ltd as a provider of vocational education and training services (VET). The Study Group Australia Pty Ltd is under registered training organization (RTO) number 5806. Further to this decision, ASQA has also requested the RTO for to cancel a number of courses falling under VET where the organization did not provide proof of necessary assessment or the relevant qualification or statement of attainment.
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ASQA Chief Commissioner Mark Paterson talked about the cancellation of registration and said that the regulator has taken many steps to see the hygiene activities followed in the Study group over multiple occasions after which the decision to cancel the registration has been taken. Paterson said, “This scrutiny identified that the training provider was non-compliant with the requirements of the VET Quality Framework, which all registered training organizations are required to satisfy as a condition of registration. Study Group Australia was issued with a notice of intention to cancel its registration in September 2017. Study Group Australia’s response to the notice was considered by ASQA’s Commissioners however it did not address adequately the non-compliances identified.”
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There were various non-compliance activities discovered during the scrutiny like:
- Events where students got enrolled through the VET FEE-HELP scheme and hence proving low qualification completion rate
- Failing to check student eligibility for the course opted for before enrolment
- Mis-selling of course, incorrect information regarding fees before enrolment, inaccurate placement services
- Not assessing needs of a prospective student before offering a course and hence fuelling wrong selection by the student.
- Insufficient training instructors, fewer resources, qualifications not being delivered to students completely
- Not meeting all the requirements for training packages and VET quality framework. Insufficient training provided to learners and incompetent assessment systems.
Study Group Australia operates many business namely ACPE Academy, Martin College, Australian Institute of Applied Sciences, Embassy English, Taylors College, ANU College, Flinders International Study Centre, and Taylors Unilink.
ASQA’s decision will come into effect starting from 19 February 2018. Study Group Australia may request a review of the decision in the Administrative Appeals Tribunal (AAT) on sufficient reasons presented that may also lead to stay the operation of the decision.
