In an endeavour to shield the integrity of its international education system, Australia is launching a slew of reforms aimed at preventing student exploitation and abuse of the system by commercial operators. Central to these reforms is the prohibition of agent commissions on student transfers between providers within Australia, a move designed to combat student poaching. This initiative is coupled with a monitoring framework composed of various “risk indicators,” which will furnish education providers with enhanced insight into agent performance data, like student completion and visa rejection rates. This framework is also geared towards better oversight of student attendance, addressing the concern of students transferring to less reputable or “ghost colleges,” which are cheaper but offer substandard education.
Furthermore, the Education Services for Overseas Students (ESOS) Act is set to undergo tightening, preventing cross-ownership between education agencies and providers. This is in response to Education Minister Jason Clare's assertion that along with the return of international students post-pandemic, “shonks” seeking to exploit these students have also re-emerged. He illustrated an exploitation scenario where a student, initially enrolled in a university, is enticed by an education agent to enrol in a vocational course but never attends, using the visa merely as a gateway to work in Australia. Minister Clare, Minister for Home Affairs Clare O’Neil, and Minister for Skills Brendan O’Connor will unveil more reforms in the coming days to address these and similar issues.
In a recent interview on Sky News, Minister Clare also discussed other pressing educational matters, including the skyrocketing childcare costs, falling university rankings, and the horrendous crimes alleged to have occurred across childcare centres over several years. He emphasised the government's commitment to executing broad reforms across the education spectrum, ranging from childcare to higher education. The reforms aim to alleviate financial burdens and ensure the safety and quality of education, which he mentions is a “complex area” requiring a multi-faceted approach.
On the higher education front, the Minister acknowledged the dip in university rankings but attributed it to a temporary decline in international student numbers due to the pandemic. He stressed that the main challenge now is to weed out dishonest operators looking to exploit the system and the students.
The proposed and ongoing reforms underscore Australia’s resolve to protect and enhance its education sector, ensuring it remains attractive and beneficial to both domestic and international stakeholders. The government’s proactive stance, as illustrated by Minister Clare, demonstrates a keen awareness of the diverse issues at hand and a readiness to tackle them head-on.
For more insights on the upcoming reforms and other educational issues discussed by Minister Clare, you can read the full interview here Interview - Sky News Sunday Agenda | Ministers' Media Centre
