Ontario to double cost of a teaching degree

TORONTO, June 6, 2013 /CNW/ - Increasing the required time for a teaching degree from one year to two will double the cost for students wishing to become teachers in Ontario.

"Students in professional programs are already contending with debt from their first degree and now will have to fork over twice as much money for a B.Ed.," said Alastair Woods, Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario. "This decision will further limit low- and middle-income Ontarians from becoming teachers."

Education Minister Liz Sandals announced yesterday that the government will cut the number of students admitted to teacher's college in Ontario from 9,000 to 4,500 and will extend the time of a teaching degree from two semesters to four by 2015.

For a student at the University of Toronto, the cost of the pursuing a B.Ed. would increase from $7,805 to $15,610, not including the tuition fee increases that are scheduled to occur between now and when the policy is implemented.

"Ontario students already pay the highest tuition fees in the country, leaving students graduating with record high levels of debt," said Woods. "Instead of burdening potential teachers with larger debt loads, the Liberal government should be ensuring professional programs are more accessible by reducing tuition fees."

The Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario is the province's only bilingual student organization representing 300,000 college, undergraduate and graduate students in all regions of the province.

SOURCE: Canadian Federation of Students - Ontario

Alastair Woods, Chairperson, 416-925-3825 or [email protected]
Kaley Kennedy, Communications and Government Relations Coordinator, 416-925-3825 or [email protected]