International students add value to Rotorua, local educators say

Takeshi Endo is a year 13 student at Rotorua Boys' High School, originally from Japan. PHOTO/STEPHEN PARKER

International students bring flavour and culture to Rotorua, with benefits for the schools hosting them and the wider community, local educators say.

There were 236 international fee-paying students in the Rotorua district as at July 1 last year, about 1.7 per cent of the total student population in the district.

Nationwide there were 12,134 international fee paying students at primary, composite and secondary schools. This is about 1.5 per cent of the total student population.

With 144 international students, Rotorua Boys' High School tops the list of 10 local schools.

But principal Chris Grinter said that number included roughly 110 students who studied at the school's Auckland satellite school for international students, with about 35 on campus in Rotorua.

Grinter said the school had mostly Pacific Island and Asian international students.

"The first international student came in about 1993 so we've been receiving them for 25 years.

"I always saw the internationalisation of our school as being important. Especially in Rotorua because our local people see busloads of tourists coming in jumping out and taking a photo and that's the interaction with them.

"I thought it was good to develop a bit of a deeper understanding of other cultures especially in a tourist city like this."

Takeshi Endo is a Year 13 student at the school. He's attended since Year 11 and is from Hokkaido, Japan.

Takeshi said he'd looked at attending about five schools around the country but settled on Rotorua because of the culture.

"Boys' High has heaps of Maori and Pasifika boys so I can learn about other cultures," Takeshi said.

"I also don't want to stay in big cities. I like small towns."

When Takeshi first arrived his English was limited to "Hello I'm Takeshi", but he's come a long way by throwing himself into everything and living in the school's hostel.

He is a prefect and house captain, in the football First XI and has also helped with fundraising endeavours and joined the Pasifika group.

"I've tried to get involved because I want to be a New Zealander and part of New Zealand. I don't want to speak Japanese here."

He said although there were other Japanese students in the school, he liked to spend time with other cultures and a mixture of people.

Takeshi said some of the highlights of his time in the school community were going deer hunting and being involved with everything.

He hoped to pursue higher education in New Zealand.

With 61 international students, John Paul College has the most on its Rotorua campus.

The school's international director, Mike Dwight, said the students made up roughly 7 per cent of the roll and represented 16 countries.

"There's the economic benefits, cultural benefits and the academic side. Students have raised the bar," Dwight said.

"We have a student in the running for dux this year, originally from China. He came about three years ago and could hardly speak English and now he's leading the pack.

"The opportunities are there and the international students are certainly grabbing them."

Dwight said the students also gave local students a global perspective through exposure to other cultures.

The school has an international food festival and celebrates cultural events such as the Chinese New Year.

Dwight said the number of international students at the school had almost tripled in the past four years.

One year in international fees at John Paul College is $27,300 including tuition, administration, and a home stay.

At Rotorua Boys' High it is $29,990 including accommodation at Tai Mitchell Hostel.

Grinter said there were also benefits to the community.

"About half of the money international students pay ends up being distributed by the school to home stays, outfitting them, etc. That's not to mention pocket money spending, most of their parents visit at least once a year," Grinter said.

"The benefit for the community in terms of one international student is several times more than that the school receives."

Only four Rotorua primary and intermediate schools have international students. Of those Lynmore Primary has the most, with four.

English as a second or other language (ESOL) teacher Wendy Watson said there were a lot more than that in her classes, and the numbers were growing.

"It's such a global world there wouldn't be many classes that don't have two or three children either born overseas or whose parents are migrants," Watson said.

"They add not just to the flavour of the school but to what learning's about. There are lots of paths to go down and they are willing to learn."

Watson said international students were eager to get involved in as much as possible and made the effort to join in.

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