Behind the Adult Migrant English Program

To many, the Adult Migrant English Program (AMEP) means very little. For some, it is just an acronym. For others, it’s just a set of numbers – and they’re relatively big numbers, with an equally big price tag. Here are some of those big, headlining numbers:  

• +$2b – That’s the contract value for delivering and quality assuring the AMEP over the past 7+ years.

• $287m – That’s the average contract spend, per year, on the AMEP. 

• 183, 653 – Last, but not least, that’s the number of active students enrolled in the AMEP. 

Back to basics, what does the AMEP do exactly? It provides free English tuition to eligible migrants, refugees and others with little to no English speaking, reading or writing abilities. The AMEP broadly ensures critical language services are delivered to those who need it most. Government contracts for programs such as the AMEP are enormous in size, scope and costs. That’s also one of the key reasons that the Australian National Audit Office undertook a review into the “Administration of the AMEP Contracts”, (the ANAO Report) published on 13 June 2024. 

In dealing with such large contracts, the numbers begin to feel just that – numbers. And it can be difficult to see beyond these numbers, and to appreciate what a difference programs like the AMEP can make in someone’s life. I’m one those people, or more precisely, I’m the daughter of one those people. My father is a recent student of the AMEP, despite having arrived in Australia more 20 years ago. 

After arriving in Australia in the late 90s from China, my Dad’s priority was to find work – and fast. For him, learning English fell to the wayside. When the COVID-19 Pandemic hit, it exposed his social isolation, lack of confidence and job insecurity – factors that are common to migrants and fall most acutely on those with limited English language skills. The Pandemic acted like a magnifying glass, making layers of disadvantage clearer than ever before. 

Earlier this year, my Dad learned about the AMEP – and enrolled as a student. Since joining the AMEP, his confidence, well-being and happiness have grown in ways that I did not think were possible. I often wonder how different my Dad’s life would have been if he had access to the right information and resources to learn English when he first came to Australia more than two decades ago. These services have the potential to benefit and truly change lives. Thousands of them. And if you look back to those headline numbers – it's almost 200,000 lives. The AMEP’s impact extends far beyond individual students - it reaches into their families, communities and beyond.

The ANAO Report found that the design and administration of AMEP contracts had been largely ineffective. In particular, the ANAO indicated that appropriate contractual arrangements were not in place with 13 of the general service providers and the overall contracts had not been appropriately managed. The ANAO Report also cited the Australian Government’s Investing in Refugees, Investing in Australia (2019) Report which found that the AMEP had unacceptably poor results and only 7% of their participants achieving functional levels of English at the conclusion of their course. It also highlights a significant underutilisation of the Program, with many participants not completing the training hours made available to them.

The Department of Home Affairs (the Department) has been responsible for the contract management and delivery of the AMEP since 2019. At the time of their signing in 2016, the AMEP contracts included four key performance indicators (KPIs), which formed the ‘minimum standard service providers were expected to meet.’ However, the ANAO Report found that the Department had amended the contract performance framework such that only one KPI was still in place. A key finding was that KPIs that sought to address educational outcomes was no longer in force. Similarly, accurate provider assessments and the timeliness of service provision were no longer part of the contractual framework. The ANAO also found that the Department had not implemented a previously agreed recommendation that it would use complaints data from providers to inform and improve service delivery for students. 

For lawyers and contract managers working with the Commonwealth in contract management, there can often be a pronounced ‘disconnect between contract management and its ‘’real world’ impact. For me personally, this is not the case. I have seen the real-world benefits that the AMEP can provide. That does not mean that we should approach the AMEP or any government program with rose-coloured glasses. There is clearly room for improvement. The ANAO Report shows us that effective contract management is key. Why? Effective contract management is one of the safeguards of program delivery - it ensures long-term effectiveness of the delivery of critical services to those in need. 

The ANAO Report makes clear recommendations about how we can ensure that programs like the AMEP operate in line with the Department of Finance’s Contract Management Guide. In particular, decisions to change or remove KPIs should be carefully considered, having regard to value-for-money considerations. The Department has agreed to all the recommendations in the Report, and I have no doubt that these will be taken on board. These vital improvements to the AMEP will have immense flow on effects in making a real difference in people’s lives.

At Synergy Law, our aim is to make a difference with every single engagement, and we believe in playing with purpose and making it personal. Our experts can assist in navigating the complexities of contract management, ensuring clarity, accuracy and compliance with legislation, governance and probity requirements. If you want to discuss your procurement and contract management processes and how we can uplift them, please reach out.