Students at a Victorian TAFE centre are having their qualification delayed due to issues with the provider. 

Hundreds of students enrolled in certain online courses have had their studies set back by months because the courses were not up to industry standards.

The Chisholm Online facility has failed to provide students with lessons, assessments and, in some cases, even teachers.

Chisholm Online - part of the Chisholm Institute of TAFE - told students earlier this year that some courses would be delayed and overhauled to become compliant with industry standards.

Despite these issues, reports say the school continued to sign up new students. 

Chisholm Online has issued a statement saying students in affected courses “had their assessments delayed for quality improvement activities to be undertaken, depending on where they were in their self-directed learning”.

“In the meantime, these Chisholm Online students were still able to continue with the theory components of their learning.

“Chisholm Online sincerely apologises for any inconvenience this may have caused. Chisholm Online will continue to work with these students to support them to complete their units of study.”

A class action against Chisholm Online is being considered, and the state’s Ombudsman is making inquiries too.

Even so, the national regulator - the Australian Skills Quality Authority (ASQA) - last month renewed Chisholm's registration for another seven years, with no restrictions on the courses it can offer.

All five of the affected courses at Chisholm were being offered under the Victorian Government's Free TAFE program, in which taxpayers pay for every subject students pass - even if they do not go on to get their final qualification.

Victoria’s Liberal opposition has called for Chisholm Online to be removed as a Free TAFE provider. 

More details are accessible here.