Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young says the Federal Government must take a leading role in salvaging the integrity and reputation of Australia’s international education sector, ensuring educational quality standards are upheld and complaints are responded to appropriately.
Last night’s Four Corners program on ABC1 reported that students from overseas and other concerned people involved in the international education sector had had their complaints about unscrupulous education and migration agents ignored by government departments or regulatory bodies.
“The Federal Government has a responsibility to take the lead in responding to these serious allegations and cleaning up the international education sector,” said Senator Hanson-Young, Greens spokesperson for Education and Immigration.
“It’s not acceptable for us as Australians to reap the financial benefits of international students coming here to study, yet turn a blind eye to the rip-offs and exploitation occurring under our noses.
“Regulatory bodies have had little effect thus far on the flourishing trade in scams involving international students.
“We need education agents as well as migration agents to be properly accredited for the sake of quality control and acceptable benchmarks in our international education sector.
“We also need an independent regulatory body that has the teeth to enforce decisions on dodgy agents and operators, for the sake of both overseas students in Australia, and our country’s international reputation.”
Senator Hanson-Young said the Senate Inquiry she established in June into the welfare of international students in Australia would be looking at all the issues that recent media reports have raised as being of concern.
“Programs like last night’s Four Corners have helped shine a spotlight on the shonky practices which were the impetus for the Greens to set up a Senate Inquiry into the sector,” she said.
“There are sure to be some red faces today in departmental offices, but let’s not let this become just an exercise in good PR for the Government – what we need is a real shift for the delivery of good quality educational services.
“I look forward to attending the Inquiry hearings to have evidence from those studying or working in and around the international education sector put on the public record.
“Australia must be able to be proud, rather than ashamed, of its multibillion dollar international education industry.”
For more information about the Senate Inquiry into the welfare of international students, go to:
http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/eet_ctte/international_students/index.htm
Written submissions close on 14 August 2009, with the Committee due to report by 16 November 2009.