Learning centre on notice

A Northland learning centre is on probation and has to pay back $12,000 to the Government after allegations it claimed money it was not entitled to.

It was alleged in Parliament in March that Hikurangi Learning Centre (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 investigation found no evidence of criminal offending.

But the centre was found to have been overpaid $12,160 in funding. The sum must be repaid by early July.

The centre has also been placed on probation until the end of the year and if improvements are not made TEC will stop funding it.

The investigation found documents were missing, so enrolment eligibility could not be proven.

The commission manager of liaison and development, Max Kerr, said the missing documents meant the Hikurangi centre should not have been entitled to youth training funding for some students.

"In addition, when verifying the labour market outcome results supplied by HLC for trainees who participated in training opportunities and youth training during 2003, there were some discrepancies and the TEC views these as an overpayment," Mr Kerr said.

The discrepancies included some students supposed to have found work not being at the job the centre said they were at, or that a withdrawal date being after the date a student was said to be employed.

There were also differences between the commission's records of the date the trainee was enrolled and the date the trainee's name first appeared on the attendance records.

The Hikurangi centre had agreed to new processes.

"HLC has also agreed to a range of proposed system changes, including sending the TEC eligibility documentation when enrolling new trainees, having trainees sign attendance records each week and having attendance records completed in ink," Mr Kerr said.

The commission would make regular visits to Hikurangi to make sure the policies were in place and that enrolled students were present.

Sarah Burkhardt declined to comment, saying the report was not finalised.

But Mr Kerr said: "From our point of view that is our final report."

- NZPA