UK college strikes to affect 170 thousand Chinese students

Over 400,000 lecturers from 60 colleges in the UK have staged strikes in a protest over pension disputes, which are expected to affect 170 thousand Chinese students.

University and College Union lecturers begin a two-day strike at the University of Bristol, holding a rally outside the Wills Memorial Building with support from some students and then marching down Park Street to College Green, February 22, 2018. [Photo: IC]

The Times reports that 15 principals have offered to negotiate with the protesters in order to end the unprecedented job action, which began on Thursday.

According to British education secretary Damian Hinds, students affected by the strike have the right to claim compensation or ask for tuition refunds from their colleges. 

In England, local students need at least 9,000 pounds every year to cover each student's tuition. Students from overseas pay even more.

University and College Union lecturers begin a two-day strike at the University of Bristol, holding a rally outside the Wills Memorial Building with support from some students and then marching down Park Street to College Green, February 22, 2018. [Photo: IC]

According to a Chinese student who studies at the University of Manchester, they have had to study by themselves one third of the semester's course due to the current strike in addition to some small-scale ones before.

It is said that Chinese students may face losses of up to 3,000 pounds in their tuition because of this strike.