The Canadian Bazaar
BRAMPTON: Nearly 2,000 Indian students, who are facing an uncertain future after three private colleges in Montreal closed last month after declaring bankruptcy, have sought justice from the Canadian government.
These students had paid millions of dollars in tuition fees to these colleges.
As many of these students staged a protest in minus 10 degrees at the corner of Airport Road and Queen Street in Brampton on Sunday, anxiety was writ large on their faces as they raised slogans for justice. “Haq len aye haan, hak lay ke javan gey. (We are here to seek justice and we won’t stop till we get justice),” they shouted.
The students demanded intervention by the Trudeau government to help them complete their courses by transferring their credits to other colleges.
They said those students who were near the end of their courses must be allowed to finish them on the basis of their old credits.
Many of them said they were running out of money as they cannot now legally work for 20 hours and use their SIM cards because their study is on pause.
Manpreet Kaur, who comes from Longowal in Punjab, said she had deposited over $14,000 annual tuition fee at M. College and was waiting to start classes in early childhood education in January when the college declared bankruptcy.
“When I landed in Canada on October 9, I was told that since the college couldn’t find enough students the classes would now start in January. But on January 6, students got an email about the college going bankrupt. It smacks of a scam,” said Manpreet who finished her masters in computer science before coming to Canada.
Vishal Rana, a student from Karnal who was studying at CCSQ College to become a medical office specialist, said, “I had just four months left of my 16-month course when the college suspended studies. I don’t know where to go.”
Vishal said he paid $24,000 to the college in fees. “I am scared about my future,” he said.
Harwinder Singh, who came from Pehowa in Haryana to study his two-year business management course at M. College, said, “I deposited $21,500 for this course and I have finished only six months of my course. I am surviving on a little money I saved while working. I stare an uncertain future.”
Gurkamaldeep Singh, a student from Moga who had would have finished his business management course from M. College by June, said, “My biggest worry is the loss of time if we have to redo our courses. We have been told that the government has given the colleges time up till Feb 28 to find new buyers so that studies can resume and we compete our courses.”
Gurkamaldeep said if the colleges don’t reopen then the students should be allowed to compete the remaining part of there studies at other institutions.
“These colleges must give completion letters so that they join other colleges and also apply for work permit to survive,” he said.
Attar Sodhi of Naujawan Support Network, who was with the protesters, said his organization would support these students in any every possible to get justice.
Sodhi said Naujawan Support Network has also fought for young drivers to recover their wages from trucking companies.
READ NEXT: Why Indian international students in Brampton are committing suicides
