he number of international students killed in the collapse of
a central Christchurch building housing a Engish language
school is still unclear, Tertiary Education Minister Steven
Joyce says.
The Canterbury Television building, which house the Kings'
Education Language School, was flattened in last week's
deadly quake.
More than 100 from the building remain unaccounted for and
police say it is almost impossible that anyone could have
survived.
Among those missing are about nine school staff and more than
50 students, including some from Japan, Korea, China,
Thailand, the Phillipines and the Czech Republic.
Mr Joyce met directors of the school this morning, and said
there had been difficulties locating details of the people
who were believed to be in the building.
"I understand the school has now located a backup computer
server with some, if not all, of that information," he said.
"That's being worked through with education, police and
foreign affairs currently."
Mr Joyce said more information was coming in each day about
the situation.
"There was information this morning, a student has contacted
the school to say that they are safe and that they are away
from the situation.
"So it's a very fluid situation currently and we don't know
the final numbers at this point."
The directors of the company were working with authorities to
gather the information.
"We've placed a lot of support around those people with a
dedicated team from education, police and Ministry of Foreign
Affairs," Mr Joyce said.
"It is of course a very difficult time for them as well, they
have friends and colleagues whose whereabouts they don't know
about as a result of this disaster."
Mr Joyce said the representatives from countries he had
spoken to had not indicated any loss of faith in New Zealand,
or that they would advise against study here in the future.
"We have always sought to be welcoming, encouraging and
indeed to take them in...
"We are very, very saddened that we have been unable to do
that on this occasion."
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