Post-secondary education funding cuts will undermine the "BC Jobs Plan"

VICTORIA, Feb. 21, 2012 /CNW/ - Post-secondary institutions will suffer a $41 million cut in core funding by 2014 and no relief is forthcoming for students and their families for BC's record high tuition fees.

"The Premier's 'jobs plan' is built on thin air," said Zach Crispin, Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students-British Columbia. "Post-secondary institutions will play a critical role in preparing workers for new jobs, but the government is demanding that colleges and universities do more with less."

When accounting for inflation, per student funding for BC's post-secondary institutions is lower than 2001 levels. Eroding per student funding means fewer professors and the largest class sizes in Canada.

"Tuition fees are going up at the same time that class sizes increase, equipment becomes outdated, and building maintenance is ignored. Students are paying more and getting less every year," said Crispin.

"The BC Liberal government's quest for artificially low taxes is unsustainable. Students and our families are paying the price with record-high student debt and reduced quality of education," said Crispin.

In a poll commissioned in 2011 by the Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of BC and the Canadian Federation of Students-BC, 87 per cent of British Columbians expressed support for freezing or reducing tuition fees. "This budget clearly does not reflect the priorities of British Columbians," said Crispin.

The Canadian Federation of Students-BC is composed of students from 16 post-secondary institutions in BC. Post-secondary students in Canada have been represented by the Canadian Federation of Students and its predecessor organizations since 1927.

Zach Crispin, Chairperson:   604.355.5014
Ian Boyko, Research and Communications Officer 778.686.7939