English Language Training Organisations

Dáil Éireann Debate, Tuesday - 30 September 2014

Tuesday, 30 September 2014

Questions (518, 519)

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

518. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools which have applied for recognition from the Accreditation and Co-ordination of English Language Services under Quality and Qualifications Ireland in the years 2012, 2013 and to date in 2014; the average waiting time for an application for recognition to be assessed; the number of the applications which have been accepted and refused during this period; and the number of applications on which a decision is pending. [36926/14]

Thomas P. Broughan

Question:

519. Deputy Thomas P. Broughan asked the Minister for Education and Skills the number of schools which have applied for recognition from the Accreditation and Co-ordination of English Language Services under Quality and Qualifications Ireland during the period of 17 October 2013 to 31 January 2014; the number of these applications which have been accepted and refused by the ACELS; and the number of these applications on which a decision is pending. [36927/14]

Written answers

Minister for Education and Skills

I propose to take Questions Nos. 518 and 519 together.

Between 1 January and 31 August 2012, QQI/ACELS processed 13 applications for ACELS recognition, of which 7 were successful and 6 were refused.

In the light of the necessary preparations for the establishment of QQI through the amalgamation of HETAC, FETAC and the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland (NQAI), new applications for ACELS recognition ceased to be accepted from 1 September 2012. However, given the expected timeframe for the establishment of the International Education Mark and related Code of Practice, which will supersede the ACELS recognition regime, QQI decided to re-open access to ACELS recognition for a temporary period from 17 October 2013 to 31 January 2014. The purpose of this period was to enable those English Language Training Organisations (ELTOs) which were ready to apply, and which had expressed a strong interest in gaining recognition for 2014, to do so through a revised and strengthened process.

During that period, QQI/ACELS received a total of 35 applications for recognition. As of 25 September, 5 of those applications had been successful, 1 application had been refused and 10 applications ceased due to closure, suspension or a change of circumstances post-application. The remaining 19 applications are still in process, with 14 of those applications being close to completion.

With regard to the processing time for applications, the process of assessing application for ACELS-recognition has two stages.

Stage 1 involves the submission of relevant documentation by the provider concerned and its assessment for compliance with ACELS standards. Where applications are complete and accurate this stage is completed in a maximum of 10 weeks. However, the provider may be asked for additional information and is given a period of 30 working days to respond. This can happen twice. Therefore, where a provider is asked for additional information on two occasions and on both occasions takes the full 30 working days, the process can be lengthened considerably.

Stage 2 involves a site visit and inspection report. The date of the inspection is agreed with the provider within 10 days of the completion of Stage 1 and, once completed, the provider has 10 working days to comment on the factual accuracy of the report.