Discriminating Fees: Part of the Cuts Campaign

The simple fact is that the Government can no longer afford to maintain the level of spending on education. They have two choices: either cut the quality of education provided, or cut the numbers of students attending educational institutes. The nature of the economic crisis is such that both choices will be employed. By increasing fees for overseas students, the Government is attempting to cut the numbers of students at tertiary institutes. The Government sees overseas students as a vulnerable group which can be cut back with little opposition. We have seen these attacks before: in 1977 the Government cut the overseas students intake by 45%.

We must see these attacks on overseas students as the first part of the forthcoming education cuts. All New Zealand students should express their solidarity with overseas students against differential fees. To do so is in our own interests, as well as in the interests of the fight back campaign against education cuts.

The great majority of overseas students come from Malaysia and Singapore. Nearly all these students come from underdeveloped countries which lack educational facilities. These countries are underdeveloped, and New Zealand is developed, precisely because we, and countries like us, have a history of exploitation of the natural resources and labour-power of the underdeveloped countries. By only aiding in the education of the children of the ruling oppressive elites of countries such as Malaysia and Singapore, New Zealand will be adding further to its; complicity with the oppression of the working classes in these countries. New Zealand has a moral duty to aid in the reparations to these oppressed nations.

It is clear that the Government of this country has no intention to do anything of the sort. In this term, students have the opportunity to show the Government that we will not take cuts in the numbers of overseas students, and we will not accept the exclusion of working-class students from overseas. It seems that the Government is determined to go ahead with these and other education cuts. It is up to students to organise against all education cuts. It is clear that if we don't fight, we will certainly lose.

Stephen A' Court.