Gold Coast English language providers on brink of financial ruin because of border closures given cash by Federal Government
A financial lifeline has been thrown to Gold Coast businesses on the brink of financial ruin. FIND OUT WHO GETS THE CASH
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A FINANCIAL lifeline has been thrown to English language schools across the Gold Coast who have been battling to stay afloat since the pandemic froze out international students.
The federal government on Friday announced a $54m assistance package to help independent higher education and English colleges hit by the loss of international students.
While applauding the move as “a positive start”, Study Gold Coast’s chief executive Alfred Slogrove says more action is needed to fast-track the safe return of overseas students to the city.
The international education sector is a pillar of the Gold Coast economy — contributing $1.7b a year pre-COVID — and providing major flow-on effects to many industries and communities.
“It is imperative that we come up with longer term, sustainable and safe plans to return students,” he said.
Mr Slogrove said support for international education providers affected by COVID-19 border closures came after “much lobbying” and a recent visit by Education Minister Alan Tudge.
“The support measures are an important acknowledgment that English language schools and other non-university providers have been severely impacted by border closures and are worthy of targeted support,” he said.
“Providers are grateful for ongoing regulatory fee relief as well as FEE-HELP loan fee exemption for those few non-university providers approved for this program.
“In terms of funding for short-course places and to enhance online delivery models, we look forward to hearing further details about these initiatives. Many providers have already invested heavily in online infrastructure.
“The announcement is a positive start, and we look forward to further dialogue with the state and federal governments to gain additional support and accelerate the safe return of international students.”
Mr Tudge says private and independent colleges that teach university-level courses were the biggest winners, gaining $26.1m to offer 5000 more short courses to domestic students.
“Until the end of this year the government will also exempt students from paying loan fees on FEE-HELP loans and pause a planned increase in regulatory fees and charges for non-university higher education providers and English colleges. Together both measures will cost $17.1m.”
Mr Tudge also said $9.4m would be put into an innovation fund that would offer grants of up to $150,000 to boost the delivery of courses online.
He said non-university education providers had lost proportionately more international students due to the pandemic than universities had.
Why crucial Coast businesses are 'going to the wall'
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GOLD Coast educators and businesses reliant on overseas students say they will struggle to survive once JobKeeper ends, with English language and study tour providers likely to be hit the hardest.It is believed the majority of the workforce in these two sectors are on the wage subsidy, as international borders remain closed and the federal government stalls on any plans to allow overseas students to return to Australia.
Study Gold Coast (SGC) chief executive Alfred Slogrove said the international education sector was a pillar of the city’s economy — contributing $1.7 billion a year pre-COVID — and provided major flow-on effects to many industries and communities.
He said despite the sector refocusing its attention to onshore international students and domestic student recruitment, the city’s entire education sector would feel the effects of JobKeeper ending on March 28.
“But none more so than the English language and study tour providers, some of which have tried immensely hard to adapt their businesses to deliver quality outcomes for domestic students as well as offering bilateral and cultural connections through online programs,” he said.
“The biggest impacts will be felt by businesses which rely on our institutions and businesses that work with and support the sector. For example accommodation providers, catering companies and transport operators such as bus companies.”
Opposition members last year told the Bulletin about 104,000 workers on the Gold Coast were living off a combined $150m per fortnight through JobKeeper.
A Bulletin report this week showed 1695 businesses in the Surfers Paradise/Main Beach postcode of 4217 were still on JobKeeper, the second highest in the state. The postcodes 4215 (Southport, Labrador, Australia Fair, Chirn Park) and 4211 (Nerang, Pacific Pines, Gaven, Carrara and Beechmont) were ranked fourth and fifth.
On top of that, research by Roy Morgan found Queensland’s unemployment was the worst in the nation in February. Mr Slogrove expected businesses would “hibernate” come March 28, and said that the federal government must prioritise the return of international students and action international travel bubbles to places such as Singapore.
“Without them (overseas students) the sector will take years to develop. They are major feeders and pipelines to the vocational and higher education sector offsetting the cost of domestic education and supplying a solid workforce to many small businesses that rely on student talent to run a sustainable business.”
Australian International Student Tours founder Tanya Ferguson said her Gold Coast business was “decimated” by COVID and because her assistant missed the JobKeeper cut off by three weeks, she paid her for six months using her own wage subsidy.
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Ms Ferguson said the education sector “fed” tourism, “bringing people who stay in hotels, visit theme parks and spend money at local cafes, restaurants and shops”.
“Businesses, schools, universities, cafes, student accommodations and so many more are going to the wall because of this silence and inaction.
“Our industry has given the government multitudes of safe solutions to bring our students back but no one wants to make a decision. We will not return to normal for a very long time, and by turning our back on international students Australia is sending a ‘we don’t care about you’ message.”
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Ms Ferguson said the Gold Coast had spent years building up its reputation and that the country’s stance was pushing internationals to consider Canada, Switzerland and “even the US” as better study destinations.
Mr Slogrove said education was Australia’s fourth largest export and allowing businesses to collapse sent the wrong message.
“It will take so much longer for the sector and the economy to recover. It is substantially easier and less costly in the long run to maintain the status quo, as this will allow us to respond far more quickly when our international borders reopen.”
Who controls fate of Coast’s $1.7b education industry - Feb 19, 2021
THE city’s $1.7 billion international education sector “has fared significantly well” in terms of overseas enrolments despite COVID restrictions, says Study Gold Coast chief executive Alfred Slogrove.
“We’re down just over 13 per cent year-on-year and given the proportion of short-stay students that we did have we’ve actually done really well,” he said.
“This is purely due to the hard work that the providers have put in to offering diverse opportunities for students to enrol, whether it’s online, or starting remotely and then joining face-to-face when they can.
“We’ve also managed to retain many students from the English language sector into vocational programs, with this sector growing year-on-year, from 10,413 in 2019 to 11,124 in December 2020.
“I’m really proud of how the sector has adapted.”
Mr Slogrove said Study Gold Coast initiatives also helped to drive onshore international enrolments. This included significant marketing campaigns, offering 10 weeks free accommodation and the delivery of its new jobs platform.
He said in 2019 the education and training sector was worth $1.9 billion to the city. This fell modestly to $1.7 billion in 2020.
The greatest losses in terms of country of origin were China, Brazil, Japan and Spain, but this was somewhat offset by an increase of students from the Philippines, Nepal and Vietnam.
Mr Slogrove said the higher education sector dropped from 8792 students in 2019 to 7704 in 2020, but that the English language sector was hit the hardest, with numbers going from 7865 in 2019 to 5286 last year.
The latest figures from Southern Cross University reveal 1191 enrolments, 44 of which are international students. However, the exact numbers are yet to be finalised.
The university has also recorded an increase in domestic enrolments, with a 40 per cent rise in students studying biomedical science, a 35 per cent increase in nursing, 32.5 per cent spike in occupational therapy and 29 per cent rise in the arts and education.
Bond University Vice Chancellor Professor Tim Brailsford said newly enrolled international student numbers were “of course significantly down compared to previous years due to the closure of international borders”.
“However, Bond University was pleased to record a substantial increase in students from across Australia in our first semester, which commenced in early January, particularly at postgraduate level.
“The university has immense enthusiasm about our fresh initiatives including an Innovation Task Force, a new Microcredentials Unit and new courses including the world’s first climate law degree.”
Griffith University Deputy Vice Chancellor Education Professor Liz Burd said 5300 new students would start at the Gold Coast campus in 2021.
“Griffith has experienced strong growth, particularly for the study areas of sciences, education and health. The university continues to offer blending learning with most lectures online and smaller face-to-face learning and teaching sessions including group seminars, tutorials, practical and lab-based lessons with required social distancing measures in place.”
TAFE Queensland general manager on the Gold Coast, Karen Dickinson said the most popular study areas in 2021 so far were nursing and health, cyber security, screen and media as well as trade-related courses such as electrical and carpentry.
“The State Government’s free TAFE and JobTrainer funding initiatives also mean training is more affordable than ever, with eligible Queenslanders now able to complete selected qualifications for free or low cost,” she said.
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