[EDLING:1478] www.nbr.co.nz - ENZ downplays fallout from Wan Biao murder

[Francis Hult]

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ENZ downplays fallout from Wan Biao murder

By Says language school fulfilled duty of care

Education New Zealand is downplaying the potential damage to New Zealand's image as a safe destination for foreign students following the grisly murder of Wan Biao over Easter. <br /><br />Mr Biao's body was found in a suitcase floating in Auckland's Waitemata harbour. <br /><br />Stuart Boag, Communications Director at ENZ, said that the "unfortunate set of events" should not adversely affect the Education industry. <br /><br />He says that there did not appear to be any crossover between the murder of Mr Biao and the educational institution that he attended, Oxford International Academy Language school. He also said that the school had apparently more than fulfilled its 'duty of care' towards Mr Biao. <br /><br />There are currently around 34,000 Chinese students in New Zealand - representing over 40 per cent of the total foreign students. <br /><br />"Unfortunately, with a population set that large, something is bound to happen to someone" Mr Boag said. <br /><br />Accord!
 ing to Mr Boag, media comment in China has so far been "restrained". He said that there would shortly be a meeting with a representative from China's Xinhua News Agency to discuss the events of the past few days.  <br /><br />The number of foreign students in New Zealand is currently in a state of decline. At the end of 2005, the Ministry of Education <a href="http://www.educationnz.org.nz/comm_media/media_files/MR13DecemberIntEdDeclineContinues.pdf">released figures</a> which showed a 27 per cent drop in the number of English language students. <br /><br />ENZ says that this decline is mainly a result of greater competition from other English-speaking countries.
	

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