Chapter 9 – China education market

The New Zealand Government introduced a pilot quota programme to open the China education market – a market which had previously been closed to New Zealand schools. The initial secondary school quota was for just 100 students and our company secured 54 of these quota places.

The process to obtain these students’ visas was challenging. All students had to be personally interviewed, and Richard was in almost daily contact with Immigration New Zealand and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ offices in Beijing to manage the visa process and paperwork.

The company quickly gained national recognition for its work in opening the China education market.

The students were subsequently placed in schools throughout the length and breadth of New Zealand, from Kerikeri to Balclutha, and Richard visited every school and every homestay to assist with their successful introduction to New Zealand.

The future of the Chinese education market rested on the success of the pilot programme and the company worked tirelessly in this endeavour, including the organisation of a student holiday programme at the Waikato Diocesan School in July 1998.

We are still in touch with several of these students today!

In pic - The first batch of students in July 1998