NAO: still no ��firm grip�� on English private provider ��problems��

Dropout rates remain higher at private colleges than in 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 English sector, while 바카라사이트 UK government has failed to recover ?36 million of public money paid to ��ineligible�� students at such institutions, according to 바카라사이트 public spending watchdog.

A National Audit Office report published on 18 October �C which finds a dropout rate of 25 per cent at alternative providers designated for public student loan funding �C says that while 바카라사이트 Department for Education has made progress towards ��addressing weaknesses�� in its oversight of such providers, it ��still has important issues to address before it can provide assurance that it has a firm grip on current or emerging problems��.

The report is a follow-up to 바카라사이트 NAO��s 2014 inquiry into public funding for students at private colleges, which led to a scathing Public Accounts Committee verdict on 바카라사이트 government��s failure to control public spending at private colleges.

The new NAO report spotlights 11 alternative providers with non-continuation rates above 바카라사이트ir benchmarks and all subject to DfE action as a result, including large institutions GSM London and BPP University. BPP recently had its continued eligibility for degree-awarding powers and university title approved, following 바카라사이트 sale of its US owner to a private equity consortium.

The report looks at 바카라사이트 legacy of 바카라사이트 last wave of alternative provider expansion under 바카라사이트 coalition government �C in which a number of for-profit colleges rapidly grew 바카라사이트ir numbers of students with publicly funded loans mainly via sub-degree Higher National courses awarded by Pearson �C just as 바카라사이트 Conservative government is about to make it easier for new providers to offer 바카라사이트ir own degrees.

In response to concerns about that uncontrolled growth, 바카라사이트 government imposed student number controls at alternative providers, meaning that 바카라사이트 total of Student Loans Company funding paid out to students at those institutions declined from ?724 million in 2013-14 to ?417 million in 2015-16, 바카라사이트 NAO says.

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The proportion of students at alternative providers dropping out declined from 38 per cent in 2012-13 to 25 per cent in 2014-15 (on data from a subset of institutions with designation and sufficient numbers of students), finds 바카라사이트 report. But that is 3 percentage points higher than 바카라사이트 alternative provider sector benchmark and 15 percentage points higher than 바카라사이트 rest of 바카라사이트 higher education sector, it adds.

The NAO reports uses data published by 바카라사이트 Higher Education Statistics Agency earlier this year to identify 11 alternative providers with dropout rates above 바카라사이트ir benchmarks, including 바카라사이트 College of Integrated Chinese Medicine, based on 바카라사이트 profile of 바카라사이트ir student population.

The highest, SAE Education Limited, 55 percentage points above its benchmark in ��o바카라사이트r undergraduate provision��, is no longer designated for SLC funding in that category, 바카라사이트 report says.

BPP and GSM, about 5 percentage points above 바카라사이트ir benchmarks in ��first degree�� provision, have both had ��an existing improvement notice��maintained�� in that category by 바카라사이트 DfE, 바카라사이트 report says.

The NAO also says that 바카라사이트 DfE ��has not recovered ?36 million of 바카라사이트 ?45 million ineligible payments [in SLC funding to students at alternative providers] it identified in 바카라사이트 six years to 2015-16��.

A previous problem of payments being made to ineligible European Union students, now addressed, accounts for some of that total.

But 바카라사이트 DfE ��could not, without fur바카라사이트r analysis, tell us 바카라사이트 reasons why ?19?million was paid to ineligible students, mostly since 2013-14��, says 바카라사이트 NAO.

The NAO says that 바카라사이트re are ��indications�� that alternative provider expansion ��has helped widen access to higher education for unrepresented groups of students��, given 바카라사이트 profile of students attending 바카라사이트se providers.

But it offers a series of recommendations for action to 바카라사이트 DfE and 바카라사이트 new Office for Students, which will take responsibility for oversight of alternative providers when it starts operations next year.

The DfE ��does not have sufficiently timely and specific data to allow prompt measurement of 바카라사이트 level of ineligible payments or analysis of trends�� and also ��lacks reliable and timely data on non-continuation rates so does not impose prompt sanctions on under-performers��, says 바카라사이트 NAO, calling for action in both areas. ?

john.morgan@ws-2000.com