Provisions to eliminate bogus colleges fail to identify those providing poor levels of education

Visa students fail to get the high level of education they require as direct result of scam colleges

Just over a year since the Department of Education and Skills introduced the Register of Providers as a means of tackling immigration abuse in the UKís education sector, Michael Graham, managing director of Pitman Training, the UKís leading provider of office and IT skills is warning that a clamp down on visa scams has only dealt with half the problem. Michael says overseas students paying to learn new skills are still being drawn to colleges which offer qualifications not worth the paper they are written on. The Register hoped to prevent overseas students gaining UK visas from bogus colleges, which until fairly recently were just set up as a front for providing visas in exchange for cash.

Still the problem of bogus colleges persists. The Register has eliminated some of them but does in no way quality assure or accredit the learning provision of any registered colleges. Michael said: ìThe Register of Providers has been a very positive step in helping students identify bonafide colleges but it is still very much down to the individual students to research highly regarded colleges.î

As the demand for UK visas by overseas students is ever present, cowboy colleges continue to spring up and take students money under the pretence they will provide a valuable education. Typically however bogus colleges fail to provide the level of support overseas students require.

Michael advises overseas students to carefully research registered colleges to ensure that they do not hand over money to unscrupulous organisation. ìWe have a reputation to uphold and a brand to protect. We closely monitor overseas students and we are more than happy to clamp down on those with poor attendance. We aim to maintain a standard of excellence and guarantee overseas students the support they require. All visa students must do a minimum of 15 hours a week for 30 weeks a year. They have a timetable and we review their attendance each week. Doctors notes are required for absences and consistent poor attendance is reported to the Home Officeî.

Michael predicts just half of visa students are genuine and in the UK to learn. ìGenuine students are easily recognisable as their attendance is high because they require more time and supportí. Michael emphasises to visa students the importance of finding a reputable college. ìIf you are prepared to hand over money in exchange for an education, please do your research, find out what qualifications are available to you and assess which ones will most impress your future employer. If you really want to learn while here we will do our best to support you.î

For more information please contact:
Sarah Thomas / Seema Lalloo
Tel. 020 7388 9988
surname@spreckley.co.uk