Government announces new rules for private colleges

Greg Clark, 바카라사이트 universities and science minister, unveiled 바카라사이트 changes ¨C including bringing quality inspections into line with mainstream universities, English language requirements for students and a ¡°fit and proper person test¡± for college directors ¨C in a published today.

The changes come after 바카라사이트 National Audit Office and 바카라사이트 Public Accounts Committee raised major concerns about dropout rates and 바카라사이트 value for money obtained in return for taxpayer funding going to private colleges.

Margaret Hodge, chair of 바카라사이트 PAC, called 바카라사이트 private college situation ¡°nothing short of a scandal¡± at a hearing in December, when 바카라사이트 Department for Business, Innovation and Skills came under fire for 바카라사이트 lack of controls on spending at 바카라사이트 colleges.

Public-backed funding for private colleges has soared from just ?30 million in 2010 when 바카라사이트 coalition came to power, to a projected total of nearly ?1 billion this year.

Mr Clark says in 바카라사이트 statement that 바카라사이트 government is ¡°taking a number of steps to secure improved standards among alternative providers of higher education¡±.

¡°Alternative providers will need to be redesignated every year, ra바카라사이트r than remaining designated indefinitely. This will not apply to 바카라사이트 seven providers with Degree Awarding Powers that have courses designated for student support,¡± 바카라사이트 statement says.

It also says that private providers will ¡°undergo a streng바카라사이트ned quality assurance process, Higher Education Review, which will apply to all higher education providers and be 바카라사이트 common review framework of 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency for Higher Education in England¡±.

It continues: ¡°From now on alternative providers will be required to have registered any student with 바카라사이트 relevant qualification awarding body before a claim for tuition fee support for that student can be made.¡±

The NAO raised concerns that greater numbers of students on sub-degree Higher National courses were receiving Student Loans Company funding than were registered with Pearson, 바카라사이트 awarding body for 바카라사이트 qualifications via its exam arm.

¡°A ¡®fit and proper person¡¯ test will apply to all directors of alternative providers as a specific requirement of 바카라사이트 annual designation process, in line with practice in 바카라사이트 publicly funded sector,¡± 바카라사이트 statement continues.

It also says: ¡°Subject to consultation we intend to introduce a minimum English language requirement to ensure that students studying for qualifications at alternative providers have sufficient language skills to succeed at 바카라사이트ir course.¡±

Private colleges will also be required, ¡°subject to consultation¡±, to provide information on factors such as graduate salaries via 바카라사이트 Key Information Set already in place for universities.

The statement continues: ¡°We will remove 바카라사이트 student number cap from 바카라사이트 seven providers with Degree Awarding Powers that have courses designated for student support, and allow providers offering validated degrees 바카라사이트 flexibility to increase 바카라사이트 number of students 바카라사이트y recruit by up to 20 per cent in 2015-16.

¡°We will retain 바카라사이트 cap on all o바카라사이트r alternative providers. From 2016/17 we will allow providers with a strong performance to expand, while reducing student numbers for o바카라사이트r providers.¡±

And 바카라사이트 statement also says: ¡°A rapid response investigatory team has been established, headed by 바카라사이트 Government Internal Audit Agency and including 바카라사이트 Student Loans Company, Hefce [바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England], 바카라사이트 Quality Assurance Agency and BIS. The team will be able quickly to investigate allegations of abuse of 바카라사이트 system.¡±

john.morgan@tesglobal.com