Students call for measures to improve the university and college experience

TORONTO, May 11 /CNW/ - A report released by the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario identifies that high tuition fees and high student debt are factors that have caused the erosion of the quality of education offered at Ontario colleges and universities. As a result, student engagement has suffered and quality has declined.

"In March, the government announced that it would allow tuition fees to increase by an average of five percent for the fifth year in a row," said Shelley Melanson, Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario. "This fee increase, combined with growing class sizes and ballooning student debt, means that students are now paying more than ever before and getting less."

Our Bright Future: Student Engagement is the final of seven submissions calling on the Ontario government to make positive change for the post-secondary education sector, produced by the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario. Students are calling for the government to make incentives for the creation of more paid co-op placements, the dedication of more funding to the Work Study Program and legally protect students' unions.

"The Ontario Liberal government has identified that student engagement is a priority, and with this submission today, students have offered ways in which we can be more engaged in our education," said Melanson. "Central to promoting better student engagement is stopping the privatisation of higher education through the user fees that are levied on students and their families."

The submission on student engagement is part of a series that also recommends ways to improve student financial assistance, funding and quality, credit transfer and regional issues. All copies of Our Bright Future can be found at www.cfsontario.ca.

The Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario unites more than 300,000 college and university students studying at public post-secondary institutions across the province.

For further information: Shelley Melanson, Chairperson, CFS-Ontario: [phone] or [phone] (cell); Roxanne Dubois, Treasurer, CFS-Ontario and French-Language media contact, [phone] (cell)