Education Services for Overseas Students
Blog Post | Blog of Sarah Hanson-Young
Tuesday 27th October 2009, 5:36pm
by RobertSimms in
Australia's thriving international education sector has come under local and international media scrutiny over the past few months, following a series of reports surrounding violent attacks against Indian students. This follows calls for better assistance and support for international students that have fallen on the deaf ears of successive governments and opposition parties.
Since then, an intense spotlight has been placed on our international education sector, with issues such as visa exploitation and discrimination within employment, student safety, questionable information provided by education and immigration agents, and sub-standard educational services and support by some providers, contributing to the perception of rorting within our education sector.
According to statistics from the Australian Education International Monthly Summary of International Student Enrolment Data, as at June 2009, there were 467 407 enrolments by full-fee international students in Australia on a student visa, compared to 204 401 in June 2002.
Click here for the full additional comments from the Greens' Education Spokesperson, Senator Hanson-Young: http://www.aph.gov.au/Senate/committee/eet_ctte/esos/report/d01.htm
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Comments
What is really going on?
When a working collogue of mine asked me what was going on with the Indian racial clashes, I could only answer with the words. Its "madness".
In the back of my mind;
#1 - I would blame alcohol and drug intake prior to the incidents.
#2 - Religious differences and cultural differences aside, are these violent crimes supposed to bring justice? or chaos? lessons or what?
We must remember that when we ourselves experience high levels of success or fortune and fame; do we not see ourselves as more worthy and righteous. Perhaps others who enforce the laws of "tall poppy syndrome" have gone too far this time or at least should know when to agree to a cease fire.
I spoke to a Buddhist priest once, and he told me that path or task of a Hindu is seek and find the one true Almighty God. Knowing of a fact that the Hindu religion has many "gods" - I know their task must be difficult.
In any case everyone should detest, verbal, spiritual or physical abuse. In most other cases abuse of status, wealth and power should be corrected also.
Need to Clamp Down on Violence and Foreign Student Perceptions
Unfortunately while a vocal minority, and the courts deal out a slap on the wrists for offenders, we will never solve the problem of violence on our streets and transport networks. I believe that New York solved much of their violence problem by having a zero tolerance policy, and this could also be implemented in Australian cities. It has even got to the stupid stage, where in Melbourne, a Police Officer is likely to be charged with shooting a person wielding 2 swords, who cornered him. Actually the officer shot the person in a non lethal point, the shoulder, but the person took off and hid himself, bleeding to death before he could be found. The officer now has to go through a long drawn out investigation and court process to prove self defence.
On the other topic, we do have a problem with the overseas student studying system, when students have the aim of permanent residency in this country after completing their courses. It is economically good for this country to have thousands of foreign students studying in this country, but the Government needs to remove the carrot / perception of Permanent Residency. I believe that the Federal Government is beginning to clamp down on this by stating that Permanent Residency will only be considered for students who complete courses in areas where there is a shortage of skills in Australia. We definitely do not need thousands more cooks or pilots, or qualifications obtained in a number of other courses.
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