The Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) has expressed strong concerns over the difficulties faced by Pakistani students in continuing their education in China.
The educational future of more than 6,000 students is at stake. If they do not go to China, the academic year of thousands of students will be wasted.
This was stated by President RCCI, Nadeem Rauf, at a meeting of the Pak-China Overseas Community Standing Committee at the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce on Thursday. Vice President RCCI, Talat Awan, executive members, committee members, and a large number of students and businessmen were present at the occasion.
The meeting discussed issues currently faced by Pakistani students, especially those returning to China, quarantine stay, exorbitant prices of airfares, accommodation, expiration of scholarships, suspension of direct flights, travel documents, antibody tests such as IgG, IgM, along other COVID related tests.
President Nadeem Rauf said the chamber would take up the matter with the Chinese embassy and government representatives.
He assured the committee members and students participating in the meeting that the demands of the students would be conveyed to the higher authorities so that the students’ academic year would not be wasted.
The Chairman of the Committee, Shaukat Ali Safi, said that students, as well as businessmen, are facing problems. Ticket and accommodation fares for Chinese cities have increased manifold. On this occasion, the students informed the meeting that IgG and IgM tests are very expensive.
The students further informed that HEC and PMDC in Pakistan are not accepting online education certification/courses from China. Scholarships of many students are running out and are on the verge of expiry.
Part-time jobs should be facilitated, as many courses are based on seasons, e.g., spring courses, and if you cannot go to China in January, the whole year will be wasted, they added.
