The revelations surfaced via Labor politicians and the teachers’ union on Friday, with TAFE Illawarra and the NSW Education Minister’s office confirming a lack of students was to blame. 

In a statement, a TAFE Illawarra spokeswoman said course offerings were regularly reviewed and adjusted in response to changes in demand for skills. 

‘‘TAFE Illawarra Dapto Campus offered Foundation Skills Programs in Semester 1, 2015. Demand for the programs has been low and numbers of students insufficient to commence classes,’’ the spokeswoman said.

‘‘There are currently no classes being delivered at Dapto Campus.’’

Shellharbour MP Anna Watson said the situation showed the ‘‘real cuts’’ made under the Baird government’s reform of the state’s vocational education and training system.

‘‘We’ve seen over the past four years the slow gutting of Dapto TAFE; we’ve seen teacher numbers fall, we’ve seen student numbers fall [and] we’ve seen classes slashed,’’ Ms Watson said.

‘‘Now what we’re seeing is a TAFE campus with no students.’’

The TAFE spokeswoman said all teachers had an ‘‘ongoing program at other TAFE Illawarra delivery locations’’ and students who had started study ‘‘offered an opportunity to complete their qualifications at a nearby campus location’’

"Students have been supported to continue their chosen course," she said.

NSW Teachers Federation TAFE organiser Rob Long called on government representatives to visit the Illawarra and address concerns.

"If the minister [for education] has got the guts he should come down here and front this issue for local residents," Mr Long said.

"As a teacher here at Dapto TAFE for a number of years, to have no students in classes is quite emotional for me."

Earlier this year, TAFE Illawarra teachers moved a vote of no confidence after a computer system failure left students unenrolled less than a week out from the start of their courses.

Mr Long said some students still weren't enrolled and others were sitting in classes not knowing how much their course was going to cost.

Labor claims Dapto campus enrolments had fallen from 658 students in 2010 to 274 in 2013.

When asked about current numbers, TAFE Illawarra told the Mercury "enrolments are ongoing and still to be finalised across TAFE Illawarra".

Ms Watson claimed that the Dapto campus would be closed and sold off if the Liberal government was re-elected. Kiama MP Gareth Ward, however, laughed off the suggestion.

"This is just bordering on hysterical behaviour and proves to me Labor will say anything in order to intimidate people to vote for them," Mr Ward said.

"All Labor are doing is continuing to perpetuate a lie; there are now 60,000 more places and opportunities in the vocational sector than there were under Labor."

Mr Ward said the component of private-sector operators under the Liberals' plan was only 20 per cent of the total vocational budget, but under Labor it would increase to 30 per cent.

The corporate services and general education faculty offices continue to run at the Dapto campus and courses will be offered in Term 2.