Two ECEC focused RTOs shut down in the wake of Morrison review announcement

Two Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) delivering qualifications in early childhood education and care (ECEC) have had their registrations cancelled in an announcement made by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) yesterday.

The cancellations were announced on the back of information given on Wednesday evening by Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who shared during a speech given at the Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry Annual Dinner that he had commissioned “an important review of our Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector in Australia”

Kids Vision Family Day Care Pty Ltd (Trading as Western Education & Technology Institute) had their RTO registration cancelled by ASQA under the National Vocational Education and Training Regulator (NVR) Act Section 36 (2) (f) and Section 39, ceasing their capacity to deliver training in, and qualifications for, the Certificate III and Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care.

The cancellation was decided on by ASQA on November 7 2018 and will be effective from December 19 2018, and follows a move by the Regulatory Authority in Victoria, who cancelled provider approval for Kids Vision Family Day Care in June 2018 for a number of serious breaches of the National Law and Regulations, including:

• Section 31 – in relation to the approved provider or a person with management or control not being a fit and proper person to be involved in the provision of an education and care service.

• Section 31 – in relation to unacceptable risk to the safety, health or wellbeing of children.

• Section 51 – in relation to failing to ensure that the service operates in a way which ensures the safety, health and wellbeing of children being educated and cared for by the service.

The second RTO cancellation announced this week by ASQA affects Spectrum Institute of Training and Education Pty Ltd, who were delivering qualifications in Certificate III and Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care. Spectrum Institute of Training and Education had their RTO registration cancelled by the ASQA under NVR Act Section 36 (2) (f) and Section 39. ASQA’s decision was made November 7 2018, and will be effective from December 19 2018.

In his speech announcing the review in the VET sector, Prime Minister Morrison highlighted that the sector should be able to respond and adapt to future demands for higher skills, changing industry composition and structural change, saying “we need to strengthen our VET system…to ensure Australians are equipped for the workforce of the future.”

Shadow Minister for Education and Training, Tanya Plibersek, said the commissioned review of the sector was “too little, too late” saying the entire post-secondary education system has been damaged by funding cuts, privatisation, competition policy, poor regulation, and unhealthy competition.

Citing a report recently tabled to South Australian parliament by retired public servant Terry Moran, Ms Plibersek said the current funding arrangements for the VET sector were “chaotic” and that this was evidenced by reports by employers of growing skills shortages while the “dodgy private training providers continue to go bust.”

Prime Minister Morrison said the pending VET sector review will have a particular focus on ensuring Australian businesses have the skills they need to support their business growth, and will build on the existing reforms to the Skilling Australians Fund.