TAFE Directors call to freeze payments to risky private training colleges
TAFE Directors in Australia have released a statement calling for a halt to funding of high-risk private training colleges, to prevent taxpayers and students from continuing to fund ‘unscrupulous training providers’. Read the full media release here.
Quality Assurance Framework for International Education Agents signed off
The International Education Association of Australia (IEAA) has received second stage government funding to develop a code of ethics for international education agents. This is to ensure recognition of the difference of quality assurance measure of onshore and offshore agents. The funding will work to establish a quality assurance body that has a self-sustaining and independent of government funding. Read the full article here.
The Increasing trend of Bilingual Education in the States
Public school districts in the United States have started to push language-immersion programs to give native English speakers a competitive edge in the workplace. The Atlantic reports that a national wide action including; a Texas school district rolling out Mandarin immersion programs, Utah’s widespread investment in language immersion programs, New York’s plans for 40 new programs this school year and a D.C. grassroots Language Immersion Project. Click here to read the full article.
Australians that move abroad will have to pay back student loans
Education Minister Simon Birmingham has recently introduced a bill that will mandate all Australians living overseas with Higher Education Loan Programme (HELP) debt, to have the same repayment obligations as those living in Australia. From mid 2017, people overseas will have to pay for their online myGov account to lodge assessment of their worldwide income. To read more click here.
HELP debt recovery reported to have a positive outcome for the Australian taxpayers
According the Conversation, the move to recoup HELP debt will have a positive outcome for Australian taxpayers who pay an estimated A$30million per year. While this scheme is seen to be fairer and more equitable, a new debate arises as to whether the ATO administers a flat or income-based repayment scheme. Click here to read the full article.
This brief summarises a range of publicly available news articles in both Chinese and English and AustCham takes no responsibility for the accuracy of the information in these articles. In addition, the views and opinions reflected in these articles are not necessarily representative of AustCham.
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