FOREIGN STUDENTS ARE HELPING TO PROP UP STATE SCHOOLS WITH MILLIONS OF DOLLARS IN FEES.

Thousands of students, mainly from Asia, poured $31 million into primary and high schools in Australia for last year - up from $27 million in 2008. More than 4000 overseas students were enrolled in state schools last year compared with 2700 in 2007, according to documents released to the Herald Sun. They paid annual fees of about $13,000 for years 11 and 12 and $8800 at primary level.

Australian Education Union state president, Mary Bluett said it was possible overseas fee-paying students were being enrolled ahead of local students who wanted to attend a school but lived outside the zone.

Some schools were actively recruiting foreign students as a way of earning much needed.

John Masanauskas