Salient. Newspaper of the Victoria University Students' Association. Vol 42 No. 13. June 11 1979

$1500 Fee — Education Fightback — Discninatory fees

[ unclear: $1500] Fee

Education Fightback

[ unclear: Discninatory] fees

[ unclear: Mr uldoon] recently announced a $1500 [ unclear: ee in ase] for all private overseas students [ unclear: ee king] tertiary education in any varsity [ unclear: of gone]. Unfortunately, either due to [ unclear: its igance] or by purpose, he came out [ unclear: tha] of baseless and fallacious reasons [ unclear: o jus] such an increase. The media [ unclear: unler ontrol], were only too willing to [ unclear: ack] up, to deceive the NZ public. [ unclear: uldoon's] trump cards were:

[ unclear: 1) erseas] students mostly come from [ unclear: ealt] parents."

This just a sweeping statement. New [ unclear: eala] has always been attractive to [ unclear: pooer stuents] because of lower costs in [ unclear: com-to] other countries and the chance [ unclear: of g] part-time and vacation jobs to [ unclear: ut self] through the university. In [ unclear: Ca-ada], erseas students are not allowed to [ unclear: ring] the summer vacation. To [ unclear: ap-] Britain and Australia overseas [ unclear: stu- ust] have parents who can at least [ unclear: an] $20,000 currency annually.

On in New Zealand, very few Malay— [ unclear: dents] are able to go back to [ unclear: Malay-] visit during their normal 5 years [ unclear: eriod] here. Most do not go back [ unclear: ecause] they have to work throught-whole summer vacation, sometimes jobs, to supplement their next year's [ unclear: a] expenditure.

[ unclear: re] not entitled to the Standard [ unclear: Bursary] like kiwi students. They a [ unclear: entitled] to unemployment benefits [ unclear: are] unemployed. They provide the [ unclear: nd] convenient labour, like the kiwi [ unclear: s] for the peak Christmas period [ unclear: de-nd] they pay taxes like everyone else. these wage earnings it is calculated [ unclear: erseas] students bring in over $3 [ unclear: mil-enue] annually. (Auckland survey.)

[ unclear: nsequence] of the $1500 fee would [ unclear: the] very rich students would be able [ unclear: e] It would only increase the gap [ unclear: be-we] rich and poor since New Zealand [ unclear: ional] institutions indirectly attract [ unclear: ian] students from low and middle income groups. The unjustified cut-back implemented in 1977 had already meant fewer of these poorer students are able to come to New Zealand let alone go for more expensive universities in other countries. (1976 - 544 Malaysians and Singaporeans were admitted to 1st degree certificate and diploma courses, 1977 - 296, 1978 - over 200.)

Finally New Zealand has certain economic and military interests in the region of South East Asia. She has a moral obligation as an industrialized nation to continue her aid to a developing country, Malaysia, without penalizing the number of private Malaysian students coming to NZ.

(2) "A high proportion of Malayshn students, when they graduate, stay behind instead of going back to Malaysia."

Unfortunately the P.M. did not have the guts to release the figures of those staying for good. If one were to look at the permanent residencies been granted to overseas students during the recent years, one can see a dramatic decrease in numbers. New Zealand employers at present are advised not to accept overseas students (even if they are qualified) for the jobs if they have not been granted a permanent resident status. Moreover students who do apply only want practical experience to supplement their theoretical qualifications. Once they fininsh their practical, many go back.

Drawing of a man holding an apple and stealing money

(3) "Compared to other countries' charges, it is not a large sum to impose on overseas students."

Now in Australia, private overseas students, like their local counterparts, are not required to pay any fees. In New Zealand, overseas students have to pay their tuition fees ranging from $200 to $250. By arbitrary dividing the total university students by the total number of students, the Government claims that each overseas student costs them $1500 to educate (in fact, if this division is done, the figure produced is $3000 - ed.).

But overseas students, as mentioned, contribute an average of at least $ 1100 per student annually in valuable foreign exchange to the NZ economy. Moreover, university spent 75% of their budget on staff - these and other recurring overheads are incurred regardless of any overseas students that may have been admitted to fill up the empty places - so that the real cost of educating a private overseas student is marginal only. Malaysian students do not deny educational opportunities to any other overseas students, or New Zealand students. They are used as 'gap— fillers', e.g. school of engineering in Auckland university saw it fit to lift its quota of overseas students due to a decline In enrolment of local students in 1975 and 76. In 1977 due to an increase in enrolment of local students in 1st prof, the number of overseas students admitted was reduced from 64 to 50. Similar reductions took place in the commerce faculty (40 to 23 in wine period) for the simple reason of not furring away the applications of the local students.

(3) "Overseas students are getting more than they are entitled to with their courses."

If one were to see the points in (2), what Muldoon is trying to do is make a profit out of overseas students. Yet he claims to aid third world countries.

(4) To conclude; what the national government should do is think seriously and be more practical and to cut its military spending of over $20 million annually in Malaysia and Singapore. It has no grounds to station its troops there. Both countries (Malaysia and Singapore) have more than their required troops to subvert and supress their local people. It's time NZ learnt its lesson from the American case in Vietnam.

Sources: Malaysian Monthly Review. Talks given by Dr Clements - professor of sociology in Canterbury, Auckland MSSA publication - Suara.