Rules for foreign schools

Steven Joyce. Photo / Getty Images

Private training establishments (PTEs) catering to international students will be required to meet higher standards under changes announced today by Tertiary Education Minister Steven Joyce.

Mr Joyce said the changes were approved by Cabinet and were aimed at providing greater accountability and higher standards in the export education sector.

"While the vast majority of providers are doing a good job, there have been incidents involving dishonest practices in some PTEs."

The changes included:

* allowing PTEs to keep more money when refunding international students who withdraw from a course;
* giving the New Zealand Qualification Authority greater powers to monitor, investigate and enforce compliance of PTEs;
* raising the threshold of PTE registration.

The changes would be included in the Education Amendment Bill (No 4) to be introduced to Parliament early next year.

- NZPA