Seminar On The “Code Of Practice For Providers”

Press Release
Rebecca Cathro
Cultural Co-ordinator (Asian)

(03) 3658722
4/139 Salisbury Street

On Sunday a public seminar was held at the Christchurch College of Education to discuss the upcoming “Code of Practice for Providers Who Enrol International Students”. The seminar was attended by the Hon Lianne Dalziel (Minister of Immigration and Associate Minister of Education, John Hastilow (Immigration Service), Sergeant Peter Laloli (Hornby Police) and Ronald Fung (Justice of the Peace and Victim Support).

The seminar aimed to inform international students of their rights in New Zealand, both at present and under the proposed Code of Practice, and it was also aimed at giving the students the opportunity to voice any concerns they may have. The seminar was very well attended and it showed the need for further discussions with international students to assess the quality of life they are enjoying in Christchurch. A number of students highlighted difficulties they experienced within their schools such as the unavailability of classes they believed would be available to them on arrival to the school, low quality of courses, confusion over the right to withdraw from a course and its effect on their visa or a refund from the course, and driver licensing laws.

This seminar highlighted the potential danger to New Zealand’s reputation as a safe country with a friendly and caring society. Many of the students felt frustrated and isolated since their arrival. They did not feel that there were support structures in place to help them settle into a new school and a new country. It is hoped that the Code of Practice will help to alleviate some of these problems.

Ronald Fung suggested that an appropriate way of reducing problems with and for students is to recruit Police officers trained in dealing with Triad (Asian) gangs. The officers could either be recruited through the Hong Kong Police system or New Zealand officers sent to train in Hong Kong.

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