Coconuts and leaves are being accepted as tuition payment at a college in Bali, Indonesia

因疫情而无钱上学？巴厘岛的这所学院可用椰子和树叶抵学费

A hospitality college in Bali, Indonesia, has begun accepting coconuts as tuition payment as students face economic hardship as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.

印尼巴厘岛的一所酒店管理学院已经开始接受那些因新冠疫情有经济困难的学生用椰子当学费。

When students at the Venus One Tourism Academy pay their fees with coconuts, the college will use them to harvest virgin coconut oil, UPI reported.

合众国际社报告称，如果维纳斯一号旅游学院的学生用椰子来付学费，学院将用其压榨成纯椰子油。

Alternatively, students can pay using leaves from moringa and gotu kola plants, which can be converted into herbal soap and sold to raise money for the academy, Food & Wine added.

《美食与美酒》杂志还指出，学生也可以选择用辣木和积雪草的叶子来抵学费，这种叶子可以被制成草本皂出售，为学院筹款。

The program has been running since March, after the college received a permit to allow it to operate on this basis, according to The Bali Sun.

据《巴厘岛太阳报》报道，这所学院获准照此运营后，这一项目就一直从三月份进行到现在。

Venus One Tourism Academy's director, Wayan Pasek Adi Putra, told local news outlet Balipuspa News: "Initially, the tuition payment scheme was paid in installments three times, with the first installment at 50%, the second 20%, and the third 30%. Because of this Covid pandemic, we have adapted a flexible policy. We produce virgin coconut oil, so students can pay their tuition by bringing coconuts."

维纳斯一号旅游学院的院长瓦扬·帕塞克·艾迪·普特拉告诉当地媒体《巴厘普斯帕新闻》说：“起初，无法支付学费的学生可以分期付款，第一期缴纳50%，第二期20%，第三期30%。因为新冠疫情，我们采取了灵活的政策。我们生产初榨椰子油，所以学生可以带椰子来付学费。”

He added: "We have to educate them to optimize the natural resources in their surroundings. When the pandemic is over, they will enter the world of hospitality with different skills."

他补充道：“我们必须教育学生最大化地利用周边的自然资源。疫情结束后，他们就可以带着不同的技能进入酒店行业。”

Bali is a major international tourist destination but in August, the Balinese government closed the island to non-Indonesian visitors until 2021, BBC News reported.

巴厘岛是一个主要国际旅游目的地，但据BBC新闻报道，巴厘岛政府在八月份禁止非印尼游客进岛，这一禁令将持续到2021年。