Parents Advocate Paula Ann Moore believes the United States (US) student visa appointment pause should be the cue for the ministries involved in education at all levels to guide Barbadians towards studies outside of that jurisdiction.
Moore pointed to Barbados’ decades long association with Canadian academic institutions and the Chinese Embassy’s history of generously providing students with scholarships leading them to be fluent in Mandarin.
“Chinese and European universities have immediately launched marketing campaigns welcoming foreign students. The University of the West Indies has a wealth of excellent programmes which include the ‘study abroad’ for a semester option, perhaps the best of both worlds balancing costs with invaluable international exposure.
“Barbados’ Ministry of Educational Transformation and the Ministry of Training and Tertiary Education would be a useful resource for guidance for academic scholarship options available outside of the US,” she said.
The international media on Tuesday reported that President Donald Trump ordered overseas missions to halt scheduling new appointments for student and exchange visitor visa applicants. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a cable that the department plans to issue updated guidance on social media vetting of student and exchange visitor applicants.
Implications
Moore, spokesperson and coordinator for the Group of Concerned Parents of Barbados and the Caribbean Coalition for Exam Redress, said the halt has implications for those on football and other athletic scholarships, as well as academic scholarships, to obtain experience and exposure that would be limited here.
“Perhaps the most significant implication of this major policy change, is that of new uncertainty of students and their parents at a critical point of the student’s life. There have been so many sudden announcements recently in the US, it makes it difficult to plan an academic future with confidence.
“In view of recent rhetoric, some students have reported feelings of not being welcome, particularly as citizens of small, poor, largely black-majority
countries. This is a sad change, as we have long had close relationships with the US at the macro and micro level, with virtually all of us having US family and friends and frequently visit for pleasure, study, medical attention and work.”
Two students, who preferred to remain anonymous, said they were waiting months for the renewal of their visas but were told the applications had been sent to Washington for approval. They have been accommodated with online classes but are exploring transferring to institutions in Canada or the United Kingdom.
Moore said students, who have not yet scheduled their visa interviews, faced significant delays, potentially affecting their ability to arrive in time for their studies in early to middle August.
“Some students have already reported delays in their visa applications, with US officials citing ‘additional administrative processing’ due to recent policy changes.
“Bajan students who are current holders of US student visas may be concerned about the certainty of their status needed to complete their academic journey. Perhaps they should ensure they have good communication with the US Embassy in their location for any future support needed,” she advised.
“While student visas and other visas are not a right, but a privilege and visa holders are guests of the country and expected to abide by that country’s laws, the announcement of enhanced social media vetting raised questions about a student’s normal and legal right to privacy and robust freedom of speech, for which the US has been a model.”
University life, she said, was usually a rite of passage where students are encouraged to challenge the status quo and enhance their critical thinking.
“This constellation of recent events involving foreign holders of US visas has sparked deep concerns, if not fear, amongst the global community of parents, universities, student advocacy groups, and immigration experts, who warn that it will almost inevitably discourage international students from choosing the US as a study destination,” she said. (AC)
