British Columbians worried about student debt levels: poll
By Nelson Daily Staff
British Columbia’s record high student debt is a concern for the majority of its citizens, according to a new poll.
Released by Ipsos and commissioned by the Federation of Post Secondary Educators of BC (FPSE) and the Canadian Federation of Students-BC (CFS-BC), the poll said university and college education in BC is a debt sentence, said Zach Crispin, chairperson of the CFS-BC.
“The BC government needs to take action to reduce tuition fees and to eliminate student debt,” he said.
Highlights of the poll include:
- 92 per cent of British Columbians think that high tuition fees are making it difficult for low-income families to participate in post-secondary education
- 87 per cent want tuition fees frozen or reduced in BC
- Only 33 per cent of British Columbians approve of the BC Liberals’ handling of post-secondary education issues
“Saddling this generation of students with massive debt is no way to ensure a prosperous future for British Columbia. This poll shows that the people of BC want affordable education in BC to be a priority,” said Cindy Oliver, president of the FPSE.
At $27,000 after a four-year program, student debt in BC has never been higher. BC ranks dead-last among the provinces in grants and other student aid disbursements.
- A summary of the poll can be downloaded at http://db.tt/QCuWLD7
The Canadian Federation of Students-BC is composed of 150,000 students in British Columbia from 17 universities and colleges.
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