VET: a conflagration of taxpayer's money
With student debt up by $3billion and shonky operators being caught out, Quentin Dempster investigates Australia's VET sector.
PT1M19S 620 349The NSW government has dumped part of a $531 million enrolment system from the state's TAFE network after years of enrolment chaos and a $100 million budget blowout.
The Learning Management and Business Reform (LMBR) network had been rolled out to TAFE campuses since 2013, but has been dogged by complaints and technical faults from its inception.
The system is also in the process of being implemented throughout the much-larger state school system, with frustration being reported by teachers as up to 2200 schools prepare to take on the new network.
"TAFE NSW needs a modern, flexible platform": John Barilaro. Photo: Louise Kennerley
Last year, thousands of TAFE students were still not officially enrolled in their courses more than five weeks into term because of problems accessing the software.
The same glitches occurred this year, with Fairfax Media revealing up to 2000 students had not been officially enrolled halfway through the semester, while others who graduated last year after spending thousands of dollars on their education have been unable to receive their diplomas.
The botched system has made keeping track of the number of students in the network challenging, with up to 83,000 fewer enrolments in TAFE NSW since 2012.
TAFE Sydney Institute in George Street. Photo: Brook Mitchell
In December, a NSW upper house inquiry recommended the system be scrapped. "We find this situation deeply disturbing," the report said.
Last year, the NSW budget estimates committee heard the cost of the LMBR could have built up to 20 new schools.
The state's education department said on Thursday the system will continue to be implemented in schools.
According to NSW Labor, the system could blow out to $1 billion in costs by the time it is fully implemented.
A spokesman for the Department of Education said the LMBR was designed to meet the specific needs of schools.
"The department will continue to roll out the LMBR schools system," he said.
In February, NSW Skills Minister John Barilaro gave the system six months to shape up or be scrapped.
On Thursday, he thanked TAFE staff for their efforts to enrol students during the challenging 2015 enrolment period.
"TAFE NSW needs a modern, flexible platform to satisfy rising expectations from students, staff and industry and which will support an innovative digital experience and learning environment," he said.
Labor's skills spokeswoman Prue Car welcomed the announcement.
"Mike Baird's IT system scandal has put the future careers of thousands of TAFE students in jeopardy and now the minister has finally acknowledged it's been a disaster," she said,
A spokesman for Mr Barilaro said the new student enrolment system is expected to be in place for 2018 and will form part of the forward budget estimates.
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