The teacher strike won’t affect international students coming to study in Port Alberni, said SD70 Superintendent Greg Smyth.
The school district is taking on approximately 30 international students this year, with 21 already in the city and the rest scheduled to arrive later this fall. Tuition fees are $14,000 per international student, which means that the district is making around $420,000 this year from international students alone. Smyth said none of them have expressed any concerns over the teacher strike.
“Part of it is because our students are showing up in September as opposed to the beginning of September,” he said.
Some international students stayed with their host families throughout the summer and thus were taken care of throughout the duration of the strike. A group of students that arrived on Sunday, Sept. 14 have been kept busy with an orientation week, said Smyth, adding that he hopes that the strike will be over by next week and students back in schools.
Daytime orientation activities are being provided by school administrators who are not affected by the BCTF strike and English tutoring is being provided after school hours. The tutoring is part of a prior arrangement between the students’ recruiting agent and their families.
According to Smyth, the cost of both the orientation activities and the English tutoring are being covered by the recruiting agent.
NOTE: Teachers will vote whether or not to accept a tentative agreement reached by the BCTF and the province on Thursday, Sept. 18. Should the teachers vote to accept it, schools could be back in session by Monday, Sept. 22 or Tuesday, Sept. 23. Check www.sd70.bc.ca and www.albernivalleynews.com for updates.
reporter@albernivalleynews.com
