1. Purpose

Elite Offshore Academy is committed to providing accurate, current and reliable information in its training, assessment, certification, website, marketing and administrative activities. Corrections are essential to protect learner interests, training quality, safety, compliance and stakeholder trust.

The purpose of this Corrections Policy is to ensure that errors, inaccuracies, omissions and outdated information are corrected in a controlled, timely and transparent manner.

2. Scope

This policy applies to corrections affecting course content, learning materials, practical instructions, assessment documents, examination records, learner records, certificates, certificate verification data, website pages, brochures, emails, forms, invoices, internal procedures, quality records and public communications.

It applies to employees, trainers, assessors, administrative staff, management, contractors, learners, clients, auditors and other stakeholders who identify or report a possible error.

3. Policy Statement

Elite Offshore Academy will respond to identified errors in a fair, evidence-based and controlled manner. Corrections will be prioritized according to risk, impact, learner interest, safety relevance, compliance significance and likelihood of recurrence.

• Corrections will be handled promptly and documented where they affect controlled documents, records, certificates, assessments, safety, compliance or learner outcomes.
• No correction to an assessment result, certificate or official record will be made without verification and proper authorization.
• Outdated or incorrect training materials will be withdrawn or replaced to prevent unintended use.
• Corrections that affect learners, clients or stakeholders will be communicated clearly when appropriate.
• Repeated or significant errors will be reviewed for root cause and corrective action.

4. Definitions

4.1 Correction

A correction is an action taken to fix an identified error, inaccuracy, omission, outdated statement, formatting issue, record mismatch or other defect in information, documentation, training material, assessment evidence, certificate data or communication.

4.2 Corrective Action

Corrective action is action taken to remove the cause of a significant or recurring error so that it does not happen again. A correction fixes the issue; corrective action addresses why it occurred.

4.3 Controlled Document

A controlled document is a policy, procedure, form, course material, assessment tool or record maintained under version control and approval requirements.

5. Correction Categories and Response Expectations

6. Responsibilities

6.1 Management

• Approve significant corrections that affect policy, compliance, safety, certification, assessment outcomes or public commitments.
• Ensure adequate resources are available to investigate, correct and prevent significant errors.
• Review recurring errors and correction trends during quality or management review.

6.2 Quality Manager / Responsible Officer

• Maintain correction records, nonconformity records and action trackers where required.
• Confirm that controlled documents are updated, approved, versioned and communicated.
• Verify closure evidence for significant corrections and corrective actions.
• Escalate safety, assessment, certification, legal, accreditation or reputation-related corrections to management.

6.3 Trainers and Assessors

• Report inaccuracies or outdated information in course content, practical exercises, assessments and learner instructions.
• Stop using incorrect material where the error could affect safety, learning outcome, assessment fairness or compliance.
• Support technical review and correction of course materials and assessment documents.

6.4 Administration and Support Staff

• Check learner records, attendance, identity details, invoice details, certificates and communication templates before release.
• Report suspected errors in learner records, certificates, verification systems or published information.
• Issue corrected documents only after approval and maintain traceability of replaced versions where required.

7. Correction Handling Procedure

1. Receive or identify the suspected error through feedback, internal review, audit, trainer debrief, learner query, client communication, verification request or management review.
2. Record the issue in the appropriate register, log, email trail, nonconformity record or correction tracker based on risk and significance.
3. Classify the correction by type, urgency and impact on safety, learning, assessment, certification, compliance, public information or customer service.
4. Contain the issue if continued use may cause harm, misinformation, unfair assessment, incorrect certification or compliance risk.
5. Verify facts using source records, approved course materials, attendance records, assessment evidence, identity documents, communications or applicable requirements.
6. Assign responsibility and determine whether correction requires management, quality, trainer, assessor or certification approval.
7. Implement the approved correction, update version control, replace incorrect copies and withdraw obsolete versions where applicable.
8. Communicate the correction to affected learners, candidates, clients, staff or stakeholders when appropriate.
9. Retain evidence of the correction, approval and communication.
10. Review whether root cause analysis and corrective action are required to prevent recurrence.

8. Certificate and Learner Record Corrections

Corrections to certificates, learner records, assessment results or verification data must be handled with additional controls because these records may be used for employment, regulatory, client or competence verification purposes.

• Identity-related corrections must be supported by appropriate identity or enrolment evidence.
• Course date, batch, certificate number, validity, result or attendance corrections must be checked against original training and assessment records.
• A corrected certificate must be authorized before issue and the earlier incorrect version should be cancelled, superseded or marked according to internal controls.
• The certificate verification record should be updated consistently with the approved corrected certificate.
• Any suspected fraudulent alteration, false claim or misuse of a certificate must be escalated to management.

9. Training Material and Assessment Corrections

Where a correction affects training content, practical instruction, safety guidance, assessment task, examination question, marking guide or competence evidence, the correction must be reviewed by a competent trainer, assessor, course owner or quality representative before release.

If an error may have affected prior learners or assessment decisions, management and the quality function must determine whether learner communication, reassessment, record review or client notification is necessary.

10. Website, Marketing and Public Information Corrections

Public information should be accurate, fair and not misleading. Corrections to website pages, course descriptions, pricing, schedules, eligibility requirements, certification claims, approval claims, refund terms or contact information must be checked before publication.

Where an error in public information may have affected a learner or client decision, the Academy will provide clarification and take reasonable steps to resolve the matter fairly.

11. Communication of Corrections

Communication will depend on the significance and audience of the correction. Minor typographical or formatting corrections may not require external notice. Corrections affecting learner rights, course requirements, assessment outcomes, certificates, safety, compliance or client commitments should be communicated to affected parties in clear language.

• State what was corrected without unnecessary technical detail.
• Explain any action required from the affected person or client.
• Provide a point of contact for questions.
• Avoid assigning blame or disclosing confidential personal information.

12. Records and Version Control

Correction records must be retained where required to demonstrate traceability, approval and closure. Controlled documents should show version number, effective date, approval status and revision history. Obsolete versions should be removed from active use or clearly marked to prevent accidental use.

Records related to certificates, assessment results, learner files, complaints, appeals, safety concerns and nonconformities must be retained according to applicable legal, accreditation, contractual and internal retention requirements.

13. Escalation and Corrective Action

The following corrections require prompt escalation to management and may require root cause analysis or corrective action:

• Errors affecting safety, emergency response, regulatory compliance or accreditation status.
• Errors affecting assessment fairness, competence decisions, examination integrity or certificates.
• Repeated errors in the same process, course, trainer, assessor, batch or record type.
• Errors that may cause financial loss, reputational harm, client dissatisfaction or legal exposure.
• Errors connected to suspected fraud, bribery, conflict of interest, falsification or unethical conduct.

14. Non-Retaliation

Elite Offshore Academy encourages learners, staff, trainers, assessors, clients and stakeholders to report suspected errors in good faith. No person will be penalized, disadvantaged or treated unfairly for reporting a possible error or cooperating with a correction review.

15. Review of this Policy

This policy shall be reviewed at least annually or earlier if required due to changes in law, accreditation requirements, customer requirements, organisational structure, course portfolio, quality management system or significant correction trends.