NZQA assures the quality of registered private training establishments (PTEs) by carrying out education, support, monitoring and intervention activities.
These activities relate to:
- the delivery of education by PTEs
- ensuring that PTEs meet the requirements for maintaining registration.
Find out about provider categories after external evaluation and review
PTE responsibilities
PTEs are responsible for ensuring they comply with all NZQA requirements that apply to them.
NZQA expects PTEs to have and implement an adequate quality management system (QMS).
For more information on what is required for a QMS see:
On this page
Validation visits to newly registered PTEs
Around six months after registration, NZQA makes a validation visit to every newly registered PTE.
The purpose of the visit is to check that the PTE is meeting NZQA's registration requirements. In particular, NZQA checks that the PTE is operating as it stated in its application for registration.
If the PTE hasn't started operating within six months of registration, NZQA can postpone the validation visit.
Annual returns and other documents
To maintain their registration, PTEs are required to submit annual return documents to NZQA.
NZQA staff review these documents, as well as other documents submitted by PTEs.
These other documents include (where applicable):
- the Annual Return Statutory Declaration
- the annual financial return
(see Maintaining PTE registration) - the Quarterly Student Fee Protection Attestation
- the Annual Student Fee Protection Audit
- Statutory Declarations as a fit and proper person and of conflicts of interest
If these documents raise any concerns, NZQA will contact the PTE.
Investigating complaints
NZQA has a formal complaints procedure for students who wish to raise concerns about a PTE.
When NZQA receives a complaint, it checks whether the concerns are within NZQA’s jurisdiction and whether there are sufficient grounds to investigate.
If NZQA accepts the formal complaint, the PTE gets the opportunity to respond to the student's concerns. In some cases, NZQA may need to visit the PTE to view or gather evidence to inform the investigation.
If an investigation finds that a PTE has breached NZQA's requirements, NZQA will work with the PTE to make sure it takes appropriate corrective actions.
NZQA's external evaluation and review process
NZQA's external evaluation and review process provides an independent judgement of the educational performance and capability in self-assessment of all PTEs.
Requests for an improvement plan
If NZQA thinks it's necessary, it may require a PTE to create and carry out an improvement plan.
NZQA always requests an improvement plan when a PTE receives a Category 3 or 4 in its external evaluation and review, and may request an improvement plan in other circumstances too.
Compliance visits
NZQA may visit an PTE to confirm it is complying with NZQA Rule or the Education and Training Act 2020.
These visits can be part of a regular NZQA process, or a result of an NZQA risk assessment.
They can be scheduled or unannounced.
Statutory intervention
Wherever possible, NZQA works informally with a PTE in the first instance to address non-compliance.
If an informal approach doesn't work, or if the non-compliance is more serious or poses an immediate risk to students or the public, NZQA can use one of the following statutory approaches:
- Issuing a compliance notice that requires a PTE to do/stop doing a particular action.
- Imposing a condition on a PTE’s registration, programme apprvoal or accreditation, training scheme approval, or consent to assess against standards.
- Withdrawing a PTE’s programme approval or accreditation, training scheme approval, or consent to assess against standards.
- Cancelling a PTE’s registration.
NZQA monitoring activity fees
NZQA charges fees for the following activities at a rate of $190 per NZQA staff member, per hour (GST exclusive):
- validation visits to newly registered providers
- external evaluation and review
- compliance visits and follow-up activity required as a result of non-compliance with NZQA requirements.