Five staff members at a Taranaki tertiary institute have been suspended pending the outcome of an investigation into its National Certificate in Maori Performing Arts course.
It has been alleged students at the Western Institute of Technology graduated without completing the required coursework.
The suspension of the employees, comes after an inquiry by the institute, the Tertiary Education Commission and New Zealand Qualifications Authority was carried out.
Radio New Zealand understands the situation involves an allegation that at least one student was awarded the National Certificate, without meeting the required assessment criteria in 2012.
In a statement on Wednesday, the institute's chief executive, Barbara George told staff that preliminary findings identify irregularities with processes and outcomes for that course.
The institute has refused to comment further while the employment investigation is on-going.