There are ten provinces in our confederation and when it comes to supporting post-secondary students in financial need, the province of BC is number ten. You don’t have to be a math major to realize that if the province is to move forwards over the years accessible education is a must for the youth of British Columbia.
Friday’s Dally news featured the background on the findings of the Canadian Millennium Scholarship Foundation, which provides details on the rather miserly contributions of the provincial government to students in need. A situation that North Coast MLA Gary Coons suggests weighs against students from rural areas and those living outside of the province’s urban core areas and one that the NDP would take action on should they form the government.
As the 2009 provincial election campaign begins to show its first few stirrings of life, we no doubt can expect education to become a hot topic issue for debate and consideration.
How the Liberals will explain the rather startling figures from a rather well off province should make for an interesting contribution to the political conversation over the lead up to the May 12 election.
Once upon a time the Liberal’s talked a lot about the need to address the needs of the Heartland, those areas outside of the Big Cities. We haven’t heard much about that mythical land in a few years now, and judging by the results of the Scholarship study, we haven’t seen much in the way of money either.
Here’s the primer on the funding issue, and the less than equitable nature of post secondary allocations across the province.
BARRIERS TO POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION GROWING: REPORT
B. C. now in last place in nation and many students are taking on huge debts says MLA
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Friday, October 31, 2008
Pages one and two
A new report shows that British Columbia has fallen into last place among Canadian provinces for supporting post-secondary students in financial need.
The report released today by the Canadian Millennium Scholarship Foundation entitled Ten Things You Need to Know About Financial Support for Post-Secondary Students in Canada, shows that B. C. now offers the lowest amount of non-repayable grants as a percentage of student aid to students in real financial need, at a mere 12 per cent.
North Coast MLA Gary Coons believes this lack of government support means that students from outside of the province’s urban core have to struggle to get a post secondary education.
“Even low income students raised in urban areas have the advantage of being able to live at home or with relatives while they complete their education,” said Coons.
“However, for students from regions like the North Coast, the combination of sky-high tuition fees and out-of-reach rental rates has forced many students to abandon schooling or take on ever increasing debt loads to finance their education.”
The percentage of the labour force in the Northwest with a post-secondary certificate or bachelor’s degree is significantly lower than the provincial average. The region also has the highest rate of unemployment in British Columbia.
The NDP recently released what I has deemed a “five-point plan” for post-secondary education in the province, included in which is the full restoration of the four-year needs-based grant program.
Coons said the program would make post-secondary education more accessible for all students, including those from remote and rural regions.
It’s not a coincidence that the Northwest has a smaller percentage of workers with post secondary education and a higher unemployment rate,” said Coons.
“Education increases labour productivity and induces economic growth. Campbell has contributed to the economic tailspin in the Northwest by making it more difficult to access post-secondary education.”
Friday’s Dally news featured the background on the findings of the Canadian Millennium Scholarship Foundation, which provides details on the rather miserly contributions of the provincial government to students in need. A situation that North Coast MLA Gary Coons suggests weighs against students from rural areas and those living outside of the province’s urban core areas and one that the NDP would take action on should they form the government.
As the 2009 provincial election campaign begins to show its first few stirrings of life, we no doubt can expect education to become a hot topic issue for debate and consideration.
How the Liberals will explain the rather startling figures from a rather well off province should make for an interesting contribution to the political conversation over the lead up to the May 12 election.
Once upon a time the Liberal’s talked a lot about the need to address the needs of the Heartland, those areas outside of the Big Cities. We haven’t heard much about that mythical land in a few years now, and judging by the results of the Scholarship study, we haven’t seen much in the way of money either.
Here’s the primer on the funding issue, and the less than equitable nature of post secondary allocations across the province.
BARRIERS TO POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION GROWING: REPORT
B. C. now in last place in nation and many students are taking on huge debts says MLA
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Friday, October 31, 2008
Pages one and two
A new report shows that British Columbia has fallen into last place among Canadian provinces for supporting post-secondary students in financial need.
The report released today by the Canadian Millennium Scholarship Foundation entitled Ten Things You Need to Know About Financial Support for Post-Secondary Students in Canada, shows that B. C. now offers the lowest amount of non-repayable grants as a percentage of student aid to students in real financial need, at a mere 12 per cent.
North Coast MLA Gary Coons believes this lack of government support means that students from outside of the province’s urban core have to struggle to get a post secondary education.
“Even low income students raised in urban areas have the advantage of being able to live at home or with relatives while they complete their education,” said Coons.
“However, for students from regions like the North Coast, the combination of sky-high tuition fees and out-of-reach rental rates has forced many students to abandon schooling or take on ever increasing debt loads to finance their education.”
The percentage of the labour force in the Northwest with a post-secondary certificate or bachelor’s degree is significantly lower than the provincial average. The region also has the highest rate of unemployment in British Columbia.
The NDP recently released what I has deemed a “five-point plan” for post-secondary education in the province, included in which is the full restoration of the four-year needs-based grant program.
Coons said the program would make post-secondary education more accessible for all students, including those from remote and rural regions.
It’s not a coincidence that the Northwest has a smaller percentage of workers with post secondary education and a higher unemployment rate,” said Coons.
“Education increases labour productivity and induces economic growth. Campbell has contributed to the economic tailspin in the Northwest by making it more difficult to access post-secondary education.”
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