A MIDLAND college has stopped [...]; Border Agency queries high levels of non-attendance by foreign pupils, some of whom disappeared.
Byline: FIONNUALA BOURKEA MIDLAND college has stopped taking on international students after an internal investigation revealed they had a chronic pattern of truancy - with some staying on in the country illegally.
The City of Wolverhampton College's decision was sparked after UK Border Agency officials queried the high levels of non-attendance by non EU students, some of whom later disappeared after completing their courses.
From September students from outside Europe will no longer be accepted for low-level courses equivalent to A Level or below.
However non-EU students pursuing higher level qualifications in conjunction with Wolverhampton University at the college's Paget Road Site in the city will not be affected.
The move is expected to cost the college more than pounds 150,000 in lost fees with 25 students currently studying lower level courses which can cost up to about pounds 6,000.
A source at the college, which was one of only four in the country deemed "inadequate" in a recent OFSTED report, said: "The college sends the attendance records of its international students to the Border Agency which earlier this year queried the high levels of truancy.
"They also told the college that some of its former students from outside the EU had misused their students visas and just disappeared after completing their courses."
She added: "An internal investigation at the college discovered that there was inadequate systems in place to properly record international students' attendance accurately and as a result disciplinary measures were taken against some members of staff."
Vice principal for quality at the college, Sara Nicholson, said new government restrictions applied to international students taking Level Three qualifications "The biggest fear has always been students coming into the country for educational purposes, and then disappearing," she added.
A spokesman for the UK Border Agency said it could not comment on individual cases but added: "We do keep a check on attendancy levels by international students studying in UK colleges to ensure they are in keeping with their student visa restrictions which were changed in 2009.
"High levels of truancy can be a sign of misuse of a student visa and we do alert the college and make further inquiries into why that may be the case."
A spokeswoman for City of Wolverhampton College said: "The College has made the decision not to recruit new International students (non EU) because the Government has made it very clear that they are seeking to reduce the number of International students coming into the UK.
"Also the college has made the decision to focus on home based students to serve the community of Wolverhampton in a time of recession to help local people enhance their skills and gain employment."
She added current international students who are due to return to complete their studies in September will be allowed to do so.
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IN THE SPOTLIGHT: City of Wolverhampton College
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| Publication: | Sunday Mercury (Birmingham, England) |
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| Date: | Aug 12, 2012 |
| Words: | 480 |
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