The security qualifications industry is plagued by incidents of “assessment malpractice”, according to Ofqual.
The qualifications regulator has published its report into how awarding bodies have dealt with security industry qualifications, after one organisation earlier this month called on the government to take action in the interest of public safety.
The report, which examines how bodies manage the delivery of security industry qualifications, concludes that some arrangements between awarding organisations and training providers are insufficient to control the risks. “Some awarding organisations did not have written and enforceable agreements in place with all their centres,” it says.
Security qualifications: ‘causes for concern’
The regulator also found evidence of assessment malpractice occurring in some centres. It is requiring those awarding organisations offering security industry qualifications to tackle inadequate centre controls where identified, and address any weaknesses found in their approaches to the design, delivery and award of qualifications.
Ofqual chief regulator Sally Collier said: “The public expect that those who gain qualifications to work in the private security industry have been rigorously trained and assessed. Our thorough review of this sector gave us a number of causes for concern. The actions we have taken re-emphasise the responsibilities awarding organisations have in qualification delivery. Those responsibilities should never be underestimated, and are especially important where the risks of failure could expose the public to potential harm.”
‘A matter of public safety’
Earlier this month, awarding organisation Industry Qualifications (IQ) called for an expert panel on qualifications fraud to be established to clamp down on malpractice. The organisation, which works in the security industry, had itself been affected by a high-profile case in 2015.
IQ chief executive Raymond Clarke told TES: “The need for government - working with the qualifications regulator, Ofqual - to take a lead in the creation of an environment that both reduces the risk of qualifications fraud and deals emphatically with those involved when it occurs is self-evident and a matter of public safety.”
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