The government of China has stepped into the B.C. teachers' strike and that is raising concern about a major source of lucrative international students for B.C. school boards.

Officials from the Chinese Consulate in Vancouver met recently with Education Ministry officials to express concerns about the teachers' strike, which has delayed the start of the school year by nearly two weeks, with no end in sight.

Several Chinese parents asked the consulate to intervene, consulate officials said. They added that they met with B.C. officials on Friday to "relay the concerns of the parents to local administrators."

The concerns will likely be cause for alarm for the Liberal government, which set a goal to raise the number of international students by 50 per cent over four years. International students are valued both for their immediate contributions to the economy in the form of tuition fees and living expenses, and for their potential as immigrants to Canada.

While B.C. does not collect data on the country of origin of international students, a ministry report from 2012 lists the top sources as South Korea and China.

The international student market is fickle and the financial stakes are high.

In 2003, education officials in New Zealand held an emergency meeting to try to save the international student sector after the number of Chinese students fell dramatically. This happened after a politician in New Zealand made anti-Asian remarks and tougher immigration laws and stringent English language laws were introduced, attracting negative attention in China.

Students in B.C. have already missed 20 days of school between last June and this September due to the school strike.

In Vancouver alone, there are 1,473 international students who have paid $13,000 in tuition to attend public school this year. Across B.C. there are about 14,000 international students in kindergarten through Grade 12, 11,000 of whom are in public schools.

Tuition fees from international students are an important source of revenue for school boards, with the Vancouver board grossing several million dollars a year from the program, money that assists with programs for all students.

"The economic benefit of growth in international education provides a major boost to B. C. communities," the ministry report says.

When asked about the meeting between the ministry and the Chinese officials, Education Minister Peter Fassbender said he understands the past few months have been challenging for students and families both from here and abroad.

"In B.C. we are very proud of our world-class education system and the strong reputation we have here in Canada and around the world. In the long run, the best way to maintain this reputation is to reach a negotiated agreement that provides teachers with a fair wage increase and improved supports for classroom needs," Fassbender said in a statement.

The head of the association representing private schools in B.C. said he would not be surprised to hear that foreign students are unhappy, given that most of the international students in B.C. prepaid school districts for classes that have been cancelled.

It's another example of how "economically, our province is going to pay dearly for the strike," said Peter Froese, executive director of the Federation of Independent School Associations.

"With the Asian community, all of these students have to pay in advance so they are paying their $13,000 or $15,000 up front and they should be in classes and they are not," he said. "Some of the schools are saying they're not giving refunds. That puts the purchaser who has bought the service at a big disadvantage, and that's a bit of a concern out there."

He said several international students have tried approaching private schools for their refund, but have been told by public school districts they can't get their money back even under strike conditions, said Froese.

In Vancouver schools, returning students would have had to give notice by last May in order to cancel their next year and receive a partial refund, said Kurt Heinrich, Vancouver school board spokesman. New students could have received two-thirds of their tuition back if they cancelled enrolment by the beginning of September, and would receive a 50-per-cent refund if they cancel during the remainder of the month. This policy is fairly standard across all districts, he said.

Heinrich said the Vancouver school board has had 20 students withdraw so far this year, but that the situation is changing daily.

It's not only the school districts who are being affected economically by the strike.

Small businesses are concerned about lost sales, employees with children who have to stay home and owners who might have to work longer hours. The Canadian Federation of Independent Business released a survey Wednesday, showing that 43 per cent of business owners say the strike will hurt them if it continues. Forty-seven per cent said it would have no effect, four per cent said it would have a positive impact and six per cent said they don't know.

Business owners were also asked how the savings on teacher salaries during the strike should be used. The government has committed to give parents $40 per day for each public school student under the age of 13.

Thirty-eight per cent of business owners agreed with the government that all savings should be returned to parents, 11 per cent supported the BCTF position that savings go to teachers, but almost onehalf (45 per cent) said savings should be used to pay down the provincial debt.

The survey was held Aug. 19 to Sept. 9 and included 1,092 online responses. Findings are statistically accurate to plus or minus three per cent, 19 times out of 20.

Sun Education Reporter

tsherlock@vancouversun.com

With a file from Kelly Sinoski

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Finance Minister Mike de Jong says the BCTF's proposal would cost B.C. property owners $200 more in annual taxes. Would you pay that to end this strike?