Press Release: Half of overseas students’ colleges checked are bogus
Commenting after the Government revealed that half the colleges for overseas students that have been checked since 2005 have been struck off (124 colleges). Shadow Innovation, Universities and Skills Secretary David Willetts said:
“It is very worrying that so many of the colleges on the Government’s list have turned out to be bogus. It begs the question of how they got on to the list in the first place and suggests the Government’s process for accrediting them is not up to scratch.”
Shadow Immigration Minister Damian Green added:
“This revelation is made worse by the Government’s recent admission that they have no control over what happens to students at these colleges. This means that even when bogus colleges are identified, the students are allowed to disappear and potentially overstay illegally in the UK.”
Notes to Editors
Government reveals half of checked colleges are bogus
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/7177033.stm
Government unable to detect illegal immigrants at bogus colleges
Damian Green: To ask the Secretary of State for Innovation, Universities and Skills pursuant to the answer of 26 November 2007, Official Report, column 166W, on educational institutions: registrations, how many illegal immigrants were detected at each of the 114 colleges removed from the Register of Education and Training Providers. [170510]
Mr. Byrne: I have been asked to reply.
The Border and Immigration Agency is not able to advise how many illegal immigrants were detected at the 114 colleges removed from the Register of Educational Providers since its inception. The Border and Immigration Agency can advise the names of the colleges removed and the numbers of students granted further leave to remain on the basis of their studies at these colleges. However, some of these students may have started their studies in the UK at these colleges, found them to be non bona fide and transferred to a genuine education provider. At present, it is not mandatory for a foreign student to notify the Border and Immigration Agency when they change their place of study. Nor is it mandatory for a foreign student to study at any given establishment-although this will change with the introduction of the points based system.
(Hansard 10/12/07 Col.66W~)