A leaked TAFE NSW internal document showing enrolments had dropped by more than 10 per cent in the year ending July 2017, did not paint an accurate picture.
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TAFE NSW managing director Jon Black said when looking at the performances of the year to date, TAFE was doing as he’d stated publicly for months.
‘’We have got a huge lift in enrolments where skills are required, particularly in apprenticeships,’’ Mr Black said.
‘’I’m very pleased with that area of student recruitment and retention. What I’m not happy about is the performance year to date with the higher qualification, particularly diplomas.
The internal document leaked to the NSW Opposition showed total enrolments at TAFE are down by 11.2 per cent from 455,408 in July 2016 to 404,456 in the year to July 2017.
‘’But I’ve been saying for months that our diploma and higher level qualifications have tanked down over 50 per cent because of my concerns with the new loan scheme that is being applied to the vocational sector.’’
The new VET Student Loans scheme, introduced in January by the Turnbull government, requires students to complete a 10-step process.
Loans for many courses are also capped, meaning students need to come up with gap payments they often cannot afford.
The internal document leaked to the NSW Opposition showed total enrolments at TAFE are down by 11.2 per cent from 455,408 in July 2016 to 404,456 in the year to July 2017.
At a Budget Estimates Hearing on Thursday, Shadow Minister for Skills, Prue Car cited the leaked document which contradicts positive government figures outlined in this year's budget, to suggest TAFE enrolments were plummeting across NSW.
‘’John Barilaro needs to explain to students and parents right across NSW today why his Government has deliberately hidden the extent of the enrolment crisis in our TAFE colleges,’’ Ms Car said.
The Mercury was told to expect a statement from Mr Barilaro on the matter. It never arrived.
Mr Black though did say he was ‘’very disappointed’’ a leaked document was being used by competitors to feast on information not entirely accurate.
‘’TAFE is focused on delivering training and education to everyone in NSW and we are very much buoyed by enrolment success at the moment,’’ he said.
‘’TAFE will continue to go from strength to strength as we implement One TAFE reform, with significant investment in teaching delivery and course development in line with what industry needs and delivering training where, when and how employers want it delivered.
‘’In fact I have been to a number of campuses over the last two weeks where we are full. We can take no more electricians and plumbing apprenticeships at Meadowbank, we can take no more hospitality students at Brookvale.
‘’We have also hired over 400 new teachers in the last six months.’’
