Education provider cleared of falsifying records - report

An investigation into a Northland education provider accused of falsifying student records has found no evidence of criminal offending.

The finding comes from a report into the Hikurangi Learning Centre (HLC).

It was alleged in Parliament in March HLC chief executive Sarah Burkhardt had falsified student records to claim funding for students who dropped out. Ms Burkhardt denied the allegations.

The Tertiary Education Commission (TEC) investigated after the parliamentary claims, which were sparked by a former tutor who alleged HLC attendance records filled out in pencil had been changed.

The TEC report into the allegations was supposed to have been finished in early April but it was delayed while waiting for the learning centre to give information. The final report is expected next month.

Early in their investigation, TEC had compared two sets of learning centre attendance records and identified "a couple of trainees" where there seemed to be discrepancies, and differences in information.

TEC Northland area manager Carol Barnett would not give details of the report apart from saying that police would not be involved.

A TEC spokeswoman in Wellington said the report had taken longer than they expected because "we needed to give them (HLC) appropriate time to respond".

Ms Barnett echoed her comments, saying they had to "wait for third parties" to give information.

"We don't have any control over other agencies which may be giving information.

"It takes time to contact people too," she said.

"The investigation is not complete as we are waiting for further information from the learning centre and until that is done we cannot release any information, " Ms Barnett said.

She did not know when TEC finished the draft report but she knew they gave the report to the learning centre in early May.

Ms Burkhardt declined to comment on the report.

About 20 students attend the learning centre which caters for long-term unemployed and people with no or low qualifications, from a George St, Hikurangi property.

The centre receives $350,000 to $400,000 a year in funding.

- NORTHERN ADVOCATE (WHANGAREI)