TAFE Illawarra teachers have moved a vote of no confidence in the Baird government after a computer system failure left students unenrolled less than a week out from classes starting.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The unanimous vote was passed by TAFE Illawarra Teachers Association members as tensions simmer over funding cuts, redundancies and rising course fees.
Union representative Robert Long slammed the reforms for redirecting public funds into a computerised administration system responsible for the enrolment errors.
"The NSW government invested over $570 million into the system, we've been told the minister implemented the software to benefit the Smart and Skilled program," he said.
"The program takes funding away from TAFE and gives it to private providers, we're concerned about the impact of course quality with some of our teachers very worried about the safety of apprentices."
Teachers had been told no enrolments had been made, despite classes starting in six days' time.
"Teachers do not know what classes, if any, they will be teaching ... many students are concerned that their Centrelink benefits will stop as they can't demonstrate that they are enrolled in a course," he said.
A Department of Education spokesman refuted union claims the system was rolled out without testing.
"The Student Administration and Learning management system went live in October 2014 after extensive user testing involving 50 people from across TAFE NSW and training for staff across all 10 TAFE NSW Institutes," he said.
"TAFE NSW is in the process of upgrading its old computer enrolment system which was more than 30 years old."
The effects of the crash extended to last year's TAFE graduates - their job and university prospects stalled by the system's failure to issue transcripts of their qualifications.
Wollongong TAFE graduate Jake Keighran was denied a spot at the University of Wollongong after TAFE failed to issue his completed course transcript.
The 19-year-old has since been assured a place in the second-round offers after TAFE contacted the university.