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Victorian woman ends three-day hunger strike over dispute with training college Victorian woman ends three-day hunger strike over dispute with training college
(7 months later)
A Victorian woman camped for three days without food outside a private training college in Melbourne’s northern suburbs to demand a refund for students she says were duped into signing up to a course but then found they did not meet the language requirements.A Victorian woman camped for three days without food outside a private training college in Melbourne’s northern suburbs to demand a refund for students she says were duped into signing up to a course but then found they did not meet the language requirements.
Birsel Akbulut began her hunger strike outside the Broadmeadows campus of Keystone College on Monday and subsisted on sugar water and chewing gum. The singer, who is a prominent member of the Turkish community, worked for the education broker National Training and Development to recruit students to the course.Birsel Akbulut began her hunger strike outside the Broadmeadows campus of Keystone College on Monday and subsisted on sugar water and chewing gum. The singer, who is a prominent member of the Turkish community, worked for the education broker National Training and Development to recruit students to the course.
Related: New law to protect students from misleading private training colleges
Akbulut has posted on social media that she went to hospital on Wednesday after declaring victory.Akbulut has posted on social media that she went to hospital on Wednesday after declaring victory.
She told Fairfax Media she had recruited students on the understanding that “they don’t have to speak English; we will have a Turkish class, with a Turkish teacher”, and that those students were later told they would have to pass a literacy and numeracy test if they wanted to continue. Those that could not pass were reportedly left with a debt under the federal student loan program VET Fee-Help despite not being able to get the qualification.She told Fairfax Media she had recruited students on the understanding that “they don’t have to speak English; we will have a Turkish class, with a Turkish teacher”, and that those students were later told they would have to pass a literacy and numeracy test if they wanted to continue. Those that could not pass were reportedly left with a debt under the federal student loan program VET Fee-Help despite not being able to get the qualification.
She had recruited 61 people to the 12-month diploma of community services course on the understanding she would be paid a $600 finders fee for each student, and was still owed money.She had recruited 61 people to the 12-month diploma of community services course on the understanding she would be paid a $600 finders fee for each student, and was still owed money.
However, the state manager of the college, Brian Paye, told Guardian Australia both Akbulut and the students she recruited were aware of the language requirements and that her claim that students who could not complete the course would be forced to pay the full $18,990 course fee was false.However, the state manager of the college, Brian Paye, told Guardian Australia both Akbulut and the students she recruited were aware of the language requirements and that her claim that students who could not complete the course would be forced to pay the full $18,990 course fee was false.
Payne said Akbulut had been paid for recruiting 47 students, with another payment pending.Payne said Akbulut had been paid for recruiting 47 students, with another payment pending.
“This is not a rip-off college,” he said. “The students were never told that the course was only going to be delivered in Turkish.”“This is not a rip-off college,” he said. “The students were never told that the course was only going to be delivered in Turkish.”
Payne said the literacy and numeracy tests were administered in the first two weeks of the course, before the census date in week three. Students who drop out before the census date do not accrue student loan debt, and Payne said those who withdrew after that date were charged only up to the date of withdrawal.Payne said the literacy and numeracy tests were administered in the first two weeks of the course, before the census date in week three. Students who drop out before the census date do not accrue student loan debt, and Payne said those who withdrew after that date were charged only up to the date of withdrawal.
“Some of the students became angry that they were asked to sit the test, and some of the students became angry that they failed the test,” he said.“Some of the students became angry that they were asked to sit the test, and some of the students became angry that they failed the test,” he said.
“We used an interpreter to try and explain the test, and some of them got angry even at that.”“We used an interpreter to try and explain the test, and some of them got angry even at that.”
The vocational education and skills minister, Luke Hartsuyker, has flagged banning the use of brokers under changes to the VET Fee-Help model. The federal government is under pressure to curb private training colleges after reports that students were encouraged to sign up for inappropriate courses by colleges that were attempting to increase enrolments to receive more funding under the VET Fee-Help scheme.The vocational education and skills minister, Luke Hartsuyker, has flagged banning the use of brokers under changes to the VET Fee-Help model. The federal government is under pressure to curb private training colleges after reports that students were encouraged to sign up for inappropriate courses by colleges that were attempting to increase enrolments to receive more funding under the VET Fee-Help scheme.
Payne denied Keystone College was involved in such practices, saying it “would do all it could” to help those who stopped attending because of language or other difficulties formally withdraw.Payne denied Keystone College was involved in such practices, saying it “would do all it could” to help those who stopped attending because of language or other difficulties formally withdraw.
“This college has at no stage ever, ever, ever, required people to continue to incur a debt after they have withdrawn from a course,” he said.“This college has at no stage ever, ever, ever, required people to continue to incur a debt after they have withdrawn from a course,” he said.
“Some people through embarrassment or whatever reason sometimes do not want to be contacted, and that makes getting them to withdraw properly very problematic.”“Some people through embarrassment or whatever reason sometimes do not want to be contacted, and that makes getting them to withdraw properly very problematic.”
However, a 2015 audit of 21 training colleges by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) found Keystone College and its parent company, College of Creative Design and Arts, did not meet national standards on the pre-intake assessment of students.However, a 2015 audit of 21 training colleges by the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) found Keystone College and its parent company, College of Creative Design and Arts, did not meet national standards on the pre-intake assessment of students.
The report, released in November, said the college had “recently changed its practices in response to concerns it had identified in relation to its enrolment process and assessment of students prior to enrolment”. It would be subject to monitoring, including handing over its enrolment and assessment data for the next 12 months to the authority.The report, released in November, said the college had “recently changed its practices in response to concerns it had identified in relation to its enrolment process and assessment of students prior to enrolment”. It would be subject to monitoring, including handing over its enrolment and assessment data for the next 12 months to the authority.
Payne said he spoke to Akbulut before she began her hunger strike to try to resolve the dispute, and would attempt to talk to her again on Wednesday.Payne said he spoke to Akbulut before she began her hunger strike to try to resolve the dispute, and would attempt to talk to her again on Wednesday.
“The problem here is she is embarrassed … She has accidentally misinformed [the students she recruited],” Payne said.“The problem here is she is embarrassed … She has accidentally misinformed [the students she recruited],” Payne said.
“I have asked her to stop hurting herself. Not because it’s embarrassing for me – of course it is, but that’s not why I am asking.”“I have asked her to stop hurting herself. Not because it’s embarrassing for me – of course it is, but that’s not why I am asking.”
Akbulut has been posting regular updates on the protest on her Facebook page. On Wednesday, day three of the hunger strike, she declared victory and left her vigil to go to hospital, saying the student loan debt of those she recruited would be “erased”. Keystone College has not confirmed that.Akbulut has been posting regular updates on the protest on her Facebook page. On Wednesday, day three of the hunger strike, she declared victory and left her vigil to go to hospital, saying the student loan debt of those she recruited would be “erased”. Keystone College has not confirmed that.
Guardian Australia has contacted Akbulut for comment.Guardian Australia has contacted Akbulut for comment.