Foreign students vent problems with studying in New Zealand

By FRAN O'SULLIVAN


Anyone wanting an informed insight into the downturn of Chinese student numbers should check out the Seriously Asia website - particularly the anonymous contributions.

New Zealand ignorance of the "political implications in export education", a failure to appropriately regulate "cash cow" language schools, and "shoddy courses" are some of the factors cited in submissions marked "Name withheld by request" in an exercise conducted by the Asia 2000 Foundation.

Among observations by well-placed contributors:

* The New Zealand Government's suggestion that there were too many Chinese students and there should be a cap indicated to prospective Chinese students that they were not welcome in New Zealand because they were the only ones that had been singled out.

* "The industry has gone unchecked. We are not sure if the ministry has the nerve to deregister some of the international student providers that do not enjoy a good reputation, as Australia has done."

* "International students do not pay to come here to study 'shoddy' courses - they want quality education. The NZ education sector should not kill the goose for the golden eggs - the opportunities are always there if the sector can provide top-of-the-class services."

"Culture shock" is also an issue, says contributor Tanya San:

"Cars are so cheap. Gambling and prostitution are legal. There is no pressure from parents, teachers and society. International students perceive that there is a very small chance to be caught without a licence when police are rarely seen on the street."

Ms San said it was relatively easy to be absent from class. She claims, "If you have a low attendance rate you can also pay an immigration company or lawyer to get your visa extended - as long as you have money you can buy almost everything, including university assessments".

Concern over Chinese students' welfare in free-wheeling New Zealand has been repeatedly published in the People's Daily. A story by Liu Wei reports an unhealthy tendency for students to become "more and more outrageous" as numbers soar.

"Many students are lacking ability for self-control and are unable to take care of themselves and study alone. Some students are squandering money without restraint and even blindly pit themselves against one another to show off their richness. What is more troublesome is that these quick-tempered young ones are still in their "reckless period", when characters are in the shaping.

"They will easily get hot-headed and be led astray."

Immoral behaviour had escalated from traffic offences entailing serious accidents to include kidnapping, blackmailing, robbing, trafficking in drugs and killing.

New Zealand and Australia are not alone on this score - similar reports have originated from the USA, France, Germany and Ireland.

But Chinese Ambassador Chen Mingming acknowledges that such incidents are behind the embassy's push to entice international students to study in "quieter" areas, such as Christchurch and Wanganui.

It also wants institutions to set up branches within China so students do not have to leave home.

Seriously Asia website