Ogilvy Bernie: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
Ogilvy Bernie: Questions for Oral Answer — Questions to Ministers 
[Volume:611;Page:8324] 
7.  
BERNIE OGILVY (United Future) 
 to the  
Minister of Education 
: Does he stand by his statement that the export education industry is “proving to have its risky and volatile sides.”; if not why not? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY (Associate Minister of Education (Tertiary Education) 
 on behalf of the 
 Minister of Education 
: Yes. 
Bernie Ogilvy 
: Is he concerned that the impact of the downturn in the number of foreign fee-paying students will hit schools hard in the light of a recent study that showed that 40 percent of secondary schools are already unable to balance their books and only do so if they rely excessively on locally raised funds parental donations and fee-paying students; if not why not? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: Schools are paid adequately through their operational budgets to run their schools. Many of them have decided to take on international students and they need to be very careful about how many they take on for that reason. 
Jill Pettis 
: What has been done to strengthen the quality of educational provision and pastoral care for those international students? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: In order to continue the success of the export education industry in New Zealand it is essential that very high quality education is provided and that students leave New Zealand better off than when they came. The Government is actively working to foster a culture of continual improvement—something our own domestic students benefit from. We recently released a strengthened code of practice for the pastoral care of international students which reinforces the safeguards in place for the welfare of international students. We are strengthening the powers of the New Zealand Qualifications Authority to protect the quality of the educational environment. 
Jim Peters 
: Does the Minister agree that focusing predominantly upon the growth of the export education industry rather than upon the quality of the product including the lack of adequate pastoral care was really the issue and is still the issue with regard to the import of students? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: Yes quality is the only thing that matters when we are talking about export education. People who put anything else first will come a cropper so as the member knows we have focused very much on pastoral care through the code. 
Bernie Ogilvy 
: In the light of the current volatility in the export education industry and the Minister’s concern that international students have positive experiences what would he do to assist those students who may be left without an education accommodation or their fees if the Modern Age Institute of Learning closes down since his ministry has already pocketed a levy of between $600 to $900 per student to promote pastoral care? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: The New Zealand Qualifications Authority is working with the owners of the institute and others in the sector who are involved with it. They tell me that at the moment the exact shape of the organisation that will emerge will become clear in the next few days. 
Bernie Ogilvy 
: Can the Minister confirm that the current downturn in the export education industry will make it more difficult for tertiary institutions to hold to the Government’s fee-maxima policy without cutting staff or jeopardising quality; if not why not? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: No I cannot because it appears that the major downturn in the number of students is in the English language area rather than throughout the tertiary education sector. For example Massey University is enjoying a lift in the number of overseas students at the present time. I cannot confirm what the member has just asked. 
Bernie Ogilvy 
: Is the Minister concerned that the current volatility in the export education industry is also related to the relative ease of acquiring student visas in other countries such as Australia and Malta where educational institutions can make bulk applications on students’ behalf and is he working with the Minister of Immigration on that particular problem? 
Hon STEVE MAHAREY 
: It is an issue for all countries to properly smooth the way for students to get visas. As the Minister responsible for the tertiary area I myself have been in China talking with immigration officials to ensure that visas are available and operating smoothly so that Chinese students can come here.