A TAFE student told the Central Western Daily that students weren't told of their classmate Michael Striker's history.

Mr Striker was convicted of killing a man in Sydney in 2002, but was found not guilty of murder by reason of mental illness.

He is now a patient at Orange's Bloomfield Hospital on Forest Road.

He was also the subject of a manhunt this week after he escaped custody on Monday and absconded to Sydney where he was captured at a pub in Parramatta on Wednesday morning.

Despite Mr Striker being "quiet and well-spoken" in class, the student said he was angry TAFE was not more forthcoming about the Bloomfield patient's background.

"The police told people not to approach him on the street but what's he doing in a classroom full of young girls?" the student said.

"I'd have rather he did his course via video link."

The parent of a young TAFE student, who also spoke to the CWD this week on condition of anonymity, said they were shocked when their daughter recognised a photograph of Mr Striker that had been released by police.

The parent said their daughter was grappling with news of her classmate's past.

The parent said their daughter said Mr Striker had been sitting in the classroom without the supervision of a Bloomfield worker this year despite having had a supervisor last year.

The parent said it might be due to COVID-19 rules restricting the number of people allowed in the room.

However a spokesman for TAFE NSW said COVID-19 rules would not be the reason for a change in a student needing to have supervision in class.

A former TAFE teacher has also told the CWD another patient from Bloomfield Hospital, who had committed a serious crime, was removed from a class at the March Street campus several years ago after complaints.

A spokesman said TAFE NSW could not comment on individual students due to privacy concerns, although he confirmed people with a history of violence did attend TAFE courses.

"Where students have a history of violence they are required to disclose this to TAFE NSW," he said.

"As part of the enrolment process a risk assessment is completed, and a management plan tailored to the individual circumstances.

"As the public training provider, TAFE NSW is required to provide access to education and training to any student regardless of their background or circumstances."

The TAFE student's parent said their daughter was upset at the revelation about her classmate.

"She recognised the photo [released by police]," the parent said.

"I said 'are you sure it's him? She said 'yes that's him.

Her friend [a classmate] concurred that it was him.

"She was so shook up. She didn't want to go to class."

The parent said they were also upset by it. "I'm a bit spooked by it all. If he comes back she'll drop out. It's a bit scary," she said.

The parent said TAFE should tell students, arrange for a separate class or conduct classes by video link with patients at Bloomfield.

"TAFE NSW has a responsibility to let people know what is going on," they said.

They said Mr Striker had been well-behaved toward other students.

"They always knew he was a bit different," the parent said.

The former TAFE teacher said Bloomfield patients should not be attending public classes.

"They should not be in the classroom. It is just putting lives at risk," they said.

The former teacher said upon finding out about a patient in one of their classes several years ago they sought to have him removed.

"I put my foot down. I said 'I'm not teaching him in my classroom'," they said.