We must pay attention to problems of uni students

OUR universities that were holding classes online since the start of the pandemic have switched to face-to-face education after about a year and a half, and thousands of foreign students started to come to our country again.

In the years before the pandemic, there were 80,000 to 90,000 foreign students registered in the TRNC. Of those, 50,000 to 55,000 of them were from Turkey.

In addition, there were approximately 2,500 foreign faculty staff members working in our universities. Today, there are approximately 50,000 to 55,000 foreign students from Turkey and other countries in the TRNC. The authorities have stated that this number will increase by 10,000 next month.

We all know that foreign students who come to the TRNC contribute greatly to the country’s economy.

We also know that prepandemic, higher education earned our country an annual income of approximately $786 million in 2018. Based on this, it’s vital for foreign students to come to the country.

Foreign students are in almost every city of the country and contribute by purchasing goods and services from shops and businesses in the cities. In many regions, students make up a significant portion of the population.

During the period when the students were not in the country, many businesses that serve students could not operate, were unable to pay their rent, electricity and staff wages, and many people became unemployed.

While all this data and everything experienced was evident, the students who came to our country started to voice their issues and complaints in the print and mass media and to seek help from the authorities to find a solution to their problems.

The biggest complaints of the students, especially those from Turkey, are that the prices of goods and services in our country are quite expensive compared to the regions they live in Turkey.

We have also learned that every year after coming to our country for education, a large number of students leave because of the costs and go back home.

Students expressed that they are surprised at the expensiveness in the shops, particularly for fruit, vegetables and meat, and that the prices of electricity, water, taxis and clothing are also very high.

Students complain that school buses have insufficient hours and too many passengers. Some of the students said that although they work, their income isn’t enough for them.

In addition, they complain that rents are too high, that there are landlords who demand a six-month or annual down payment and that halls of residence fees are excessive.

Many students pointed out that they cannot make ends meet and are not able to put aside money for socialising.

At this point, I would like to talk about the things that universities, business owners and citizens should do in order to somewhat relieve students who come to our country, especially those with financial trouble, and to attract more students to the TRNC.

In this context, we should not forget that the income of many families of students from Turkey has also decreased due to the pandemic.

Landlords and halls of residence operators should let their accomodation to students at an affordable price, in Turkish lira and without requiring too much of a deposit. This will create satisfaction among students and will provide some relief to their families.

According to what we have learned, there are no houses for rent in many areas where students live and the halls of residence are full in many regions.

Based on this, home and halls of residence owners should not forget the periods when they are closed and empty.

Businesses that serve students on university campuses such as markets, cafeterias, restaurants, etc., should keep the prices of the products they sell cheaper than abroad.

Shopkeepers and businesses in cities should offer student discounts on their products and services.

Airline companies should also offer special discounts to students on ticket prices. We must ensure that similar student discounts are offered by businesses across the country on all goods and services they sell.

In order for our universities, which form a locomotive sector and one of our economy’s biggest income sources, to develop and increase their contributions, we must increase student satisfaction and accelerate our efforts to become a student-friendly country.

Our claim to be an education island should be realised by fulfilling its requirements and not creating an image of an expensive country, especially for students.