Two weeks ago, Tim Bousquet wrote that reducing tuition fees “would
be good for our young people, and good for our economy”(“Lower tuition
rates,” September 3). We need only look to our neighbours in
Newfoundland and Labrador to see how true this statement really is.
Students in Newfoundland pay half as much for a university education
as students in Nova Scotia. This is because their government has
something that ours does not: a long-term economic strategy that
includes making post-secondary education accessible. Since 1999
Newfoundland has frozen and reduced tuition fees, increased funding to
post-secondary education, expanded their grants program and eliminated
the interest on all provincial student loans.
Since Newfoundland froze tuition fees Nova Scotia has been bleeding
students to Newfoundland; the number of young Nova Scotians studying at
that province’s university has increased tenfold between 1999 and 2007.
Keeping Newfoundland students in the province while they study and
ensuring that they are not graduating with crippling student debt will
only help boost that province’s economy.
During their recent election campaign the NDP promised to prioritize
Nova Scotia’s youth. It’s time for them to fulfill this promise and
invest in post-secondary education and reduce fees for all
students.
—Rebecca Rose, Maritimes Organizer, Canadian Federation of
Students
This article appears in Sep 17-23, 2009.