Aid offered to Indonesian students in N. America

JAKARTA (JP): More than 15,000 Indonesian students studying in North America can breathe easier following announcements by the Canadian and United States governments that assistance would be accorded to the many cash-strapped students.

A statement received here yesterday said the U.S.-ASEAN Business Council, the U.S. Information Agency and NAFSA: Association of International Educators had announced a series of temporary measures to assist Asian students studying in colleges and universities in the U.S.

"Providing a small amount of 'stop gap' assistance to these students is in the U.S. national interest," USIA director J. Duffey in Washington said.

Among the initiatives are partial scholarships funded by the private sector.

The USIA intends to provide an administrative grant supporting fund-raising efforts for partial scholarships to highly qualified and financially needy students from Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Thailand currently studying in the United States.

The U.S.-ASEAN Business Council, in cooperation with corporate sponsors, is working to provide US$2 million in scholarships.

The USIA and the Department of State have encouraged the Immigration and Naturalization Service to grant exceptions to current regulations restricting foreign students from working and further expedite hardship employment applications.

There are an estimated 15,000 Indonesian students in the U.S.

The Canadian government has also announced plans to help the 700 Indonesian students studying in Canada.

Canadian Secretary of State for the Asia-Pacific Raymond Chan, who ended his three-day visit here yesterday, said his government would also extend working visas to Indonesian students there.

"Canada will allow Indonesians studying in my country to work. We will help them find solutions to the difficulties so that they can continue their studies in Canada," he said Tuesday.

There are about 60,000 Indonesians studying abroad. An estimated 10 percent have returned home, unable to continue their studies since the monetary crisis began in July. (mds/emb)