International students: Primary schools 'frustrated' waiting on foreign enrolments decision

Schools are waiting on a Cabinet decision into whether they can continue to enrol young international fee-paying students. Photo / 123RF

Primary and intermediate principals are on tenterhooks as they wait to hear whether they will be allowed to keep enrolling international students.

The Ministry of Education has been consulting on whether to change the rules for enrolling international fee-paying students under Year 9, with principals fearing they will be stopped altogether.

But comments from Education Minister Chris Hipkins in the House this week have left some hoping he's shying away from the proposal.

The consultation was carried out at Hipkins' request. He told the Herald there were concerns about migration pressures, equity between schools, and foreign students drawing resources and attention away from domestic students.

But this week, in response to questions from Act leader David Seymour, Hipkins said a main driver for the proposals was actually concern about the pastoral care of very young foreign students while borders were shut.

Seymour said that rationale no longer made sense given the borders would reopen in October, and suggested the proposal should be dumped.

Hipkins said Cabinet had not yet considered the submissions it had received and it was "polite" to listen to people when they had been asked for their feedback.

He expected Cabinet would make a decision within a month.

Education Minister Chris Hipkins says the Government was concerned about pastoral care for very young international students while the borders were closed. Photo / Mark Mitchell

In 2019 there were just over 5000 international students under year 9 in New Zealand, including those who were only here for part of the year. They enrolled at 320 mostly high-decile schools, bringing in nearly $30 million in fees - not including students who were here as part of tour groups.

The proposals to stop those students have left principals up in arms, fearing they will lose funding that helps pay for everything from Te Reo teachers to property improvements.

Queenstown Primary School principal Fiona Cavanagh said they were already fielding calls from international families trying to plan ahead.

Pre-Covid, the school usually had around 15 long-term international students who were in New Zealand with a parent, as well as short-term groups of around 40 students who attended for up to a fortnight and were spread between classes.

They were integral to the school's global, multicultural outlook, she said.

Queenstown Primary School principal Fiona Cavanagh says the school's international programme is a key part of their offering and benefits all students. Photo / Supplied

"We're bringing the world to our kids. Rather than all of our children travelling all over the world, the world comes to us...We love that international flavour."

The school had spent many years refining its programme.

"It's operated very well previously. So why try to change or fix something that doesn't need fixing?"

Despite being a decile 10 school, Queenstown's students weren't all wealthy. Fees from international students helped fund programmes like snow sports, ensuring all students could join in. Right now some kids were missing out, she said.

Cavanagh wanted to see international student programmes being extended to all schools including low deciles.

Remuera Intermediate principal Kyle Brewerton said schools were frustrated at the lack of communication and would be relieved to hear a decision was coming.

"We've heard nothing, it's just been crickets...You've got potentially staff involved, agents who are getting huge enquiries," he said. "Those students and their families, they need some sort of timeline so they can start planning their futures."

Remuera Intermediate principal Kyle Brewerton is fielding significant enquiries from international students' families waiting to hear if they can enrol their children next year. Photo / Supplied

Any change to the rules would also have budget and staffing implications for principals, he said.

Brewerton is vice president of the Auckland Primary Principals' Association, which surveyed members on the issue.

He said of 125 respondents, there was "overwhelming support" for the status quo. Only nine per cent wanted to end foreign enrolments, with some of those believing the policy was unfair to schools that missed out.

Respondents were from a cross-section of Auckland schools. About one third had not enrolled foreign students but still mostly supported them in principle.

Brewerton said principals had largely rejected the reasons outlined in the Ministry's consultation. He was surprised to hear of Hipkins' concerns around pastoral care of students as that was not mentioned in the discussion document.

And he was hopeful that Hipkins' comments meant he was now inclined to keep the status quo after receiving so much pushback.

"I don't think they expected or appreciated how invested people were at a local level."

Seymour told the Herald that based on Hipkins' comments, "it sounds to me like you've got a minister who's not remotely interested in defending the policy or giving any of the reasons the Ministry of Education originally gave.

"[He's] basically saying 'The only reason I haven't killed it is because it's polite to listen to people'."

Act Party leader David Seymour says foreign students and the schools that enrol them should be put out of their misery. Photo / Mark Mitchell

He said international students, their families, and the schools who enrolled them were waiting on a decision.

"Don't you think it would be polite to put them out of their misery?"

The Herald asked Hipkins' office what his position was on the proposals and how significant a role the border issue and pastoral care played in his thinking.

It also asked whether schools could have any reassurance that they would be able to find extra funding if such enrolments were banned, and when they would get a decision.

In response, a statement from Hipkins said the Government was considering the results of its consultation with the sector.

"We...expect to be able to provide more clarity in the next weeks."