Above: Batchelor Institute 2016 graduation parade in Alice Springs.
By ERWIN CHLANDA
A spokesman for the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA), an instrumentality of the Federal Government, says it has “recently received a complaint regarding training and assessment being provided by Batchelor Institute.
“ASQA is currently investigating the complaint,” says the spokesman. No further information was available.
The investigation follows the sudden departure of CEO Robert Somerville last month.
ASQA last audited Batchelor in 2014.
It is the national regulator for the vocational education and training (VET) sector and “seeks to make sure that the sector’s quality is maintained through the effective regulation of vocational education and training providers [and] accredited vocational education and training courses,” according to its website.
“Australia is fortunate to have a world-leading vocational education and training system.
“This crucial sector provides training in the skills Australians need for employment, and injects billions of dollars of export income into the economy each year.
“ASQA makes sure that the quality and reputation of Australia’s VET system is maintained through effective national regulation.”
We have sought urgent comment from Batchelor Institute; we will post their reply as soon as it comes to hand.
Unfortunately it is not uncommon for the academic side of a school or university to be at odds with the administrative arm, especially in more recent times.
Until more information comes to hand all we can do is speculate as to what the complaint was all about, but as someone who has spent many years on communities the quality outcomes of Bachelor students in relation to their studies has been mixed to say the least, but Batchelor is very good at turning moderates into radicals.
Methinks it is perhaps a complaint [related to Commonwealth funding] that several levels of management were involved in.
Perhaps something to do with passing students through the RPL process without their knowledge or that of their teachers?
I think they have probably already chosen the scapegoat and most of the management will get away with it and carry on getting their huge wages and not caring about the students. First they will of course try and find front line staff to blame and punish as part of the cover up.
I don’t lecture there any more. I think they need to care about their students more.
ASQA are right to think the government may not be getting value for money.