A new report on higher education makes the link between access and income: students want a lower cost

A report released yesterday by the Ontario Council of the quality of higher education (HEQCO) made the link between increases in tuition fees and reducing student participation low secondary income, a conclusion which does not surprise students of colleges and universities. The report confirms a phenomenon that students have identified for years, namely that the costs of higher education represent an obstacle for students from low and middle income.

"High school students from families with low incomes or in rural Ontario should have the same access to university or college than children from higher income families living in an urban center," said Shelley Melanson, Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario. "The report concludes that more likely than high school students from high income backgrounds make an application for admission to university than students from low income backgrounds, and the gap is widening more. It is clear that equal access to higher education is a myth and that students need a reduction in tuition. "

Although it displays data prior to 2005, the report was released just weeks after the recent Statistics Canada report reveals that the rising unemployment rate among students in Ontario has been unprecedented during the summer. This reality, in addition to high tuition fees and student loans huge, paints a grim picture for many students hoping to study at college or university to improve their prospects. The fees that students pay in Ontario will soon be the highest in Canada because the funding for postsecondary education by the provincial government is still below the national average. Those who are lucky to study at college or university will face levels of debt without precedent that may be up to $ 28 000 for a four-year program. "If the Ontario government really wants to solve the problem of poverty and improve access to postsecondary education, it must invest in postsecondary education and reduce tuition fees," says Melanson. "If we ignore the warning signs and further indebtedness on the current generation of students and students, the consequences for the graduates and the economy will be disastrous." The Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario unites more than 300 000 students of college and university attending public schools across Ontario. Students plan events across Ontario to November 5 this year, asking the government to invest in reducing tuition fees and inject new funds into social programs to reduce poverty.