We are students from overseas following a course in English as a foreign language (EFL) at Hackney College, Stoke Newington centre. we nave learnt nat ine Inner London Education Authority has decided to close unis course as trom tne end of this session (July 1976). Why?
It seems that the orricial reason is the ILEA's reorganisation ('rationalisation') of EFL teaching and its concentration in a few chosen ILEA colleges, of which Hackney is not one First we want to question this idea o reorganisation, as it seems to us unat oro vision of EFL courses is necessarv in everv locality in London - not just in a few scattered centres - if it is to meet the needs of the city's multi-racial community as well as or visiting students. second, we strongly suspect that this idea of reorganisation is in fact a smokescreen behind which cuts in student and teacher numbers are come to be made Ine recent revelation that Lee bans to cut ine numoer or overseas students by ou per cent over tne next tive years makes this clear. As well as 60 student places, vacancies for three teachers will be lost permanently with the closure of this course.
As overseas students we come to T acknowledge nea veekly s principled position towards gay rights. Your article on the Tony Whitehead picket and your comments on Jeremy Thorpe were in pleasant contrast to the silence in all or must orner lett sabers It is highly important for gay people to oin in united struccle with otner groups against all oppression - however, It is equally important tnat revolutionary groups make gay people welcome when inev do participate I enclose a cheque towards the Fighting Fund - RICHARD TARRY (for East London Faggots). study here because English is a necessity for us in order to continue our studies and gain adequate work qualifications. We finance ourselves entirely while we are here, and pay three times the college fees paid by resident students. (Incidentally, almost no other country discriminates against foreign students in this way - the Swedish government and East European governments actually give them state grants.)
After completing our course in English, many of us wish to go on studying here, mainly to gain technical skills and qualitications wnien are much needed in our own countries and are often difficult to obtain there, (Many of us come from former British colonies and nonindustrialised countries.)
We do not take college places away from resident British students. As a resuit or what seems to oe the tanure or Britain s education system to meet the needs of the majority of its young people, there are not enough resident British students to fill many of the existing further and higher education courses. Many of these actually depend on having a certain number of overseas students to keep them open, or viable If these courses have to be closed because ot cuts in overseas student numbers there will be as a result a permanent loss students as well. Anv suodestion tha resident students would benefit from a reduction in overseas student numbers is entirely wrong.
It is easy to attack foreign students as it is easy to attack immigrant workers, by blaming them directly or indirectly for causing economic and social problems but we did not cause the crisis of Bri tain s economv and our removal wil not help solve it. Nor will the Government's overall policy of cutting back on social expenciture This policy may be in the interests of financiers and industrialists concerned with falling profit margins, but their problems are not ours, nor are they those of the great majority of people - immithe first to be singled out, but the cuts will not stop there unless they are