Sorry, SA: 800 TAFE Students Face Reassessment, Following Suspension of 14 Courses

It’s the nightmare scenario, people.

About 800 students at TAFE SA are facing reassessment, following the suspension of 14 training courses that were found to be “substandard” in an audit.

According to the ABC, students enrolled in those courses may also have to conduct further study before getting their certificates.

The canned courses include Cert III in Automotive Refinishing Technology, Cert III in Motorcycle Mechanical Technology, Cert II in Meat Processing (abattoirs), Cert III in Commercial Cookery, Cert III in Individual Support (ageing), Cert IV in Leisure and Health, Cert III in Hairdressing, Diploma in Visual Merchandising, Diploma in Building and Construction, Cert III in Plumbing and four others.

Sixteen courses in total were randomly selected for review by an auditor from the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA). Only two were spared from suspension, but ASQA still found issues within those courses too.

SA Education Minister Susan Close is calling on TAFE SA board chairman Peter Vaughn to quit, saying, "not only is it serious for the students who are currently enrolled, or had hoped to be enrolled in those courses, but it also goes to the confidence that people can have in the quality of TAFE.”

Dr. Close has also promised students won’t have to pay “out of pocket” for any potential costs.

"We will go out of our way to accommodate the needs of the students and if there are out-of-pocket expenses they need to come and talk to us about it."

Still, spare a thought for the students who received this news today.

Photo: iStock.com/buzzanimation