Surge in demand from international students
By David Hill, Local Democracy Reporter
North Canterbury school principals are welcoming a surge in interest from international students after numbers plummeted during Covid.
Recent media reports suggest international students are returning to New Zealand faster than expected after the Covid-19 restrictions.
International students dropped to zero in North Canterbury during Covid.
But Simon Green, an advocate for principals and boards of trustees throughout Otago and Canterbury, said demand is strong from overseas schools and students wanting to come to the region.
He predicted schools could be back to pre-Covid levels next year.
Pre-Covid, the international education sector contributed around $3.9 billion to New Zealand’s economy, according to Education New Zealand, making it the fifth largest export.
Primary schools are entering the international student market, with Swannanoa and Te Matauru (Rangiora) Schools among those taking overseas students.
Green said having international students provides cultural learning opportunities, as well as being a financial windfall for schools.
‘‘It allows schools to provide those extra things which can enrich the curriculum and help fund infrastructure and property.’’
Green works as a leadership adviser with Evaluation Associates, supporting principals and boards.
He is also the Rangiora High School board of trustees presiding member.
Rangiora High School principal Bruce Kearney said he is pleased to see international students back at the school.
‘‘We are still down on our pre-Covid numbers, but the market has bounced back quite a bit.’’
Kaiapoi High School suspended its international programme after Covid hit, before employing a new international director around six months ago.
‘‘We wanted to take some time to build some pastoral and administrative practices before hitting the ground running this year,’’ principal Jason Reid said.
But the demand has far exceeded expectations, prompting the school to increase its staffing levels to support the international students.
Students from Japan and Brazil are studying at the school this year, while connections are being made with schools in China.
Two groups of overseas principals and teachers have also visited the school last week.
An external provider has sponsored a Chinese teacher to offer Mandarin lessons for students and the wider community, while a group of 16 Kaiapoi students will visit China on a cultural exchange.
Rangiora New Life School hosted a group of 20 German students last week led by former principal Brian Seatter.
Principal Stephen Walters said it was the fifth visit from Germany, but the first in four years due to Covid.
‘‘We’ve bounced back really well. We’ve got a few students for a full year, but mainly they’re coming for short stays.
‘‘Last year we had more than 30 international students, but never more than half a dozen at a time and we are seeing that trend continue.’’
The school was able to retain its international director during Covid, which made it easier to relaunch its international programme.
Strong relationships have been established with Japan, China and Europe, with the international director visiting Thailand this year.
Walters said international exchanges are an opportunity for his students to learn about different cultures, as well as the financial benefits to the school and the wider community.
■ LDR is local body journalism co-funded by RNZ and NZ On Air.
Worst Xmas ever?
There's a a lot of planning that goes into Christmas day and sometimes things just don't go to plan. But it can be a good thing - a family mishap or hilarious memory that you can laugh about in Christmases to come.
Whether you burnt the dinner or were stranded at an airport...
Share your Christmas mishaps below!
⚠️ DOGS DIE IN HOT CARS. If you love them, don't leave them. ⚠️
It's a message we share time and time again, and this year, we're calling on you to help us spread that message further.
Did you know that calls to SPCA about dogs left inside hot cars made up a whopping 11% of all welfare calls last summer? This is a completely preventable issue, and one which is causing hundreds of dogs (often loved pets) to suffer.
Here are some quick facts to share with the dog owners in your life:
👉 The temperature inside a car can heat to over 50°C in less than 15 minutes.
👉 Parking in the shade and cracking windows does little to help on a warm day. Dogs rely on panting to keep cool, which they can't do in a hot car.
👉 This puts dogs at a high risk of heatstroke - a serious condition for dogs, with a mortality rate between 39%-50%.
👉 It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act to leave a dog in a hot vehicle if they are showing signs of heat stress. You can be fined, and prosecuted.
SPCA has created downloadable resources to help you spread the message even further. Posters, a flyer, and a social media tile can be downloaded from our website here: www.spca.nz...
We encourage you to use these - and ask your local businesses to display the posters if they can. Flyers can be kept in your car and handed out as needed.
This is a community problem, and one we cannot solve alone. Help us to prevent more tragedies this summer by sharing this post.
On behalf of the animals - thank you ❤️
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