If you’ve ever wondered why South Australians chose interstate online training and education providers, look no further. TAFE SA and SATAC are basket cases.

Chandra Bangaru (pictured) quit his job as a chef in preparation for full-time study and a fresh start as a health worker. But a few days later, his life was turned upside down.

He applied to study full time a Certificate III in Pathology Collection at TAFE SA. Big mistake.

After undergoing a three-hour numeracy and literacy assessment, Mr Bangaru, 49, was emailed by the South Australian Tertiary Admissions Centre [SATAC] to say he had been accepted.

A week later, Mr Bangaru quit his full-time job to focus on his upcoming studies. Four days later, he received a letter signed by SATAC’s chief executive officer, Stuart Mossman.

“A system fault at SATAC has resulted in some applicants receiving incorrect offers, and unfortunately you were made an offer to this course in error,” Mr Mossman wrote.

Dismayed, Mr Bangaru wrote a follow up email, seeking clarification.

“I was hoping for them [SATAC] to tell me that they could come up with some sort of solution, because the fault is between TAFE and SATAC,” he said. No solution was found – except legal redress.

TAFE SA has a history of monumental stuff ups. I wrote this story five years ago. So much for the much flagged transformation plan.

This is the second time in six months TAFE SA offers have been sent in error, with more than 2,000 prospective students told they’d been incorrectly accepted last year.

SATAC Chief Executive Stuart Mossman said that this time around, 117 applicants were affected. Oh, that’s okay then. Mr Bangaru has company … for a CLASS ACTION.

I worked in tertiary education for 12 years and I’ve never heard of such a stuff up. It defeats the purpose of calling TAFE SA and educational institution.