文/境外生權益小組
今年教育部宣布啟動「非洲菁英人才培育計畫」，
以下這封信是忍無可忍的非洲學生們所寫下的。
【西非境外生的心聲-中文翻譯版】
由於台灣駐奈及利亞辦事處的不良對待，
一些學生早在2021年9月21日就預約了他們的簽證申請。
我們想說，這是一個學習簽證的申請，
錄取他們的大學則正在失去耐心，有的建議學生休學，
此外，除了被延遲申請日的學生外，
是不是台灣根本就不想讓大學錄取來自西非的學生？
一些學生已經有了來自各院校教授的保證書，
任何對國際學生不友好的做法都是在間接破壞學生的學習希望。
【西非境外生的心聲-英文版】
Because of the ill-treatment at the Taiwan embassy in Nigeria, West African students intending to study in Taiwan by the Fall Semester are unhappy
Some of the students got their Visa appointment dates as early as September 21st, 2021, and were required to authenticate their documents at the Ministry of Education and Foreign Affairs because The Trade office said West Africans are prevalent for falsifying documents, which the majority of the students did, but the Trade Office continued to reschedule their appointments until December 17th for no apparent reason. This is a study visa application, and the university has a deadline, which is approaching the end of the semester on December 17th. We believe this is unprofessional and inhumane, given the amount of money spent on the visa process, the risk some students took commuting from one country to another, and the emotional stress they are under every day, waking up as early as 2 am. to continue their studies despite not knowing whether or not they will be granted a visa.
Some of their schools are losing patience, and some have proposed that the students seek a leave of absence, while others have suggested that they reapply for admission to the school. After the stress of applying for Fall semester admission and over two months of online study. Some of our international colleagues who applied received visas in three days, one week, and one month, respectively.
Even though the majority of students have been interviewed and paid for authentication, there is no date for their papers to be collected on the receipts. This is still quite unprofessional, especially for a great country like Taiwan, which welcomes overseas students and has good diplomatic connections with practically every country on the planet.
Is it true that West African students are not accepted into Taiwanese universities? If this is the case, rather than utilizing strategies to frustrate students, they should make it clear to them. Some students already have Guarantee letters from their professors at various institutions, in which the professors have committed to cover the cost of living in Taiwan as well as the expense of deportation if we fail the legislation, then why are the Trade Office in Nigeria treating us so badly? Does this mean they don’t trust the professors who are also citizens of this great country and have their signature to guarantee a study visa with their national passport or they don’t trust our degrees or documents attested by the highest authorities in Nigeria and other West African countries (Ministry of Education and Foreign Affairs)?
Any country that is not international student-friendly is indirectly destroying the study hopes of students who believe they can gain knowledge to better their country, and West African countries require this assistance now more than ever as a result of a high level of illiteracy and a low standard of education.
