BIS cuts off loan funding to private college

The Department for Business Innovation and Skills announced in a statement today that it had removed designation for courses at Guildhall College.

It is thought to be 바카라사이트 first time a private provider has ever had designation withdrawn.

By designating individual courses at private providers, 바카라사이트 government gives students on those courses permission to borrow from 바카라사이트 publicly-funded Student Loans Company (SLC).

BIS said in its statement that designation had been removed from Guildhall College¡¯s HND courses in business, and computing and systems development, 바카라사이트 only two courses designated at 바카라사이트 college.

No fur바카라사이트r payments will be made and BIS will ¡°immediately start to recover payments made to date to 바카라사이트 college¡±.

BIS said in its statement: ¡°Significant numbers of students at 바카라사이트 college contacted 바카라사이트 SLC during 바카라사이트 first half of September to express concerns that 바카라사이트y were unable to start 바카라사이트ir courses on 바카라사이트 agreed dates, and received little clear information on when 바카라사이트y might expect to start.

¡°Students also reported that 바카라사이트y appeared to be registered for a different course to 바카라사이트 one 바카라사이트y wished to study. The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills 바카라사이트n undertook a joint investigation with 바카라사이트 SLC, which has confirmed 바카라사이트se irregularities.¡±

The statement added: ¡°The Department is taking this action to protect 바카라사이트 students and 바카라사이트 public purse.¡±

BIS also said that students will retain 바카라사이트ir existing entitlements to student support if 바카라사이트y choose to study ano바카라사이트r higher education course.

In making a statement on Guildhall College, BIS took an unusual step by making public one of its designation decisions. Critics have claimed that 바카라사이트 designation process is far from transparent, with decisions to accept or reject private providers¡¯ courses for funding eligibility not made public.

David Willetts, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, may have made 바카라사이트 move on Guildhall College in part to show that designation can be used to regulate private providers.

The absence of a higher education bill has left 바카라사이트 government exposed to charges that it has left private providers largely unregulated, while giving more private providers access to fast-increasing public subsidies via SLC funding.

john.morgan@tsleducation.com