An economic crash in Nigeria has left international students struggling to afford tuition fees, with some at Teesside University blocked from their studies and ordered to return home due to non-payment.
Nigeria is currently experiencing its worst economic crisis in a generation, with the value of the naira depreciating by more than 200% against the dollar in the past 12 months.
As a result, students at UK universities have seen their savings wiped out and budgets suddenly and significantly reduced, leaving them struggling to afford the cost of living. Welcome to the club.
The university has claimed it is doing what it can to support them, although it is a requirement that international students must provide proof of funds to obtain a visa.
However, this support is not enough, as many foreign students are now turning to a food charity for help.
Thornaby’s Sprouts Community Food Charity (SCFC), which offers free or low-cost food, clothes, and household items, has seen its clientele change significantly over the last few months. Around 75% are now Nigerian students.
“They’re struggling, they need help, and they’re part of our community,” said SCFC manager Ms Fixter.
She said her charity was currently at “maximum capacity” because of the situation and called on Teesside University to offer more support despite the university offering £500 in Sainsbury’s food vouchers, which were, in her own words, a “drop in the ocean.”
Still, it’s certainly much more than your average Brit will receive. As Ms Fixter should know, the UK is also braving an economic crisis of its own—arguably the worst for a generation for us, too. We receive no bailouts from universities and judging by Ms Fixter’s comments, we would be fighting for the leftovers of the SCFC’s aid which foreign students haven’t yet gobbled up.
This is not to sound disparaging to Ms Fixter or the SCFC. They have the honourable goal of helping the needy, which should be commended. However, we wish they would note the old saying, “Charity starts at home.”
SCFC has a three-year programme funded by the National Lottery Reaching Communities Fund. Why should foreign students, who, at best, have marginally contributed to the UK economy, be at the front of the queue to receive aid funded by us, the British taxpayer? Yet again, we see the public purse drained on foreign nationals who want a free lunch.
While Nigeria’s economic woes are unfortunate, they are not our concern, just as the UK’s financial woes are not Nigeria’s. If the Nigerian students cannot afford their tuition fees or to survive in the UK, they should return to their home country.
This comes down to the fundamental modus operandi of business: a customer pays the asking price of a product or service and then receives said product or service in return. Teesside University owes non-paying customers nothing, and they should not be pressured into becoming a charity, in much the same way a car dealer shouldn’t bail me out if I can’t afford the asking price of a nice, shiny new car.
This is a fitting example of why the Homeland Party exists. As we are the only political party that puts our people first, we will ensure that public spending, whether through charity funding or government policies, prioritises our people first and foremost.
