Students Lobby Members of the Legislative Assembly to end the student debt squeeze
VICTORIA, Feb. 24, 2014 /CNW/ - British Columbia students will be meeting with MLAs this week to discuss recommendations on how to reduce student debt in BC. The meetings come on the heels of last week's BC budget, which announced a $50 million cut in funding to colleges and universities.
"Students in BC graduate with the highest average student debt in the country," said Jenelle Davies, Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students-BC. "A decade of tuition fee increases and funding cuts has left students and their families paying more and getting less."
Students will be meeting with Members of the Legislative Assembly to outline a series of recommendations, including a proposal to re-introduce a student grants program, and a proposal to eliminate the interest charged on student loans.
"BC provides the lowest amount of non-repayable financial aid of any province," said Davies. "Students are only able to rely on student loans for financial assistance, and the interest charged on those loans is the highest in the country."
Students are calling for increased funding for colleges and universities, as well as a province-wide reduction in tuition fees, the elimination of interest charged on student loans, and the reintroduction of a grants program.
The Canadian Federation of Students-BC is composed of post-secondary students from 15 universities and colleges in every region in BC. Post-secondary students in Canada have been represented by the Canadian Federation of Students and its predecessor organizations since 1927.
SOURCE: Canadian Federation of Students- British Columbia
Jenelle Davies, Chairperson: (604) 341-6850
Zachary Crispin, spokesperson: (604) 355-5014
Share this article