Letter to the Editor

I am a final year INTERNATIONAL student in Engineering, realized to write something in response to the article, “International Tuition Fees Soar” (Sep 19, 07) by Ms. Ksenia Prints. At this juncture, I am considering myself really fortunate to witness and survive the battle against this inhumane and brutal tuition increase, from 75% to 100% in first phase and the ruthless 100% to 180% increase like a butcher work. Thanks to my parents whose extra hours of work and fight against soaring Loonie helped me to come close to get this single piece of paperwork called a ‘Canadian Certificate’. Although it is stressed over and over again in this particular article as well about the government subsidies for Canadian students which don’t cover foreign students but examples can be taken from Germany, France and many other European and Asian countries about their no differential fees for foreign students. However I personally won’t mind increase tuition for NEW students. Here people have the opportunity to decide whether to go for it or not. Couple of my friends had to quit study in their 3rd year for the increase of tuition. The whole attitude of increasing tuition for international students made me dubious about Canada’s position and motif as a world’s humanitarian aid super leader. While Canada is spending millions in Afghanistan, Sudan, middle class foreign students in its own soil are starving by cutting their food budget to cope with the escalating tuition increase. It shouldn’t happen like this, because we all know “Charity begins at Home”.

Sincerely,

M. Rizwan Mahboob