Ontario Ministry of Training College and University receives a failing grade
If you had to rank the provinces of Canada
based on the cost of post-secondary education,
you might expect the figure to spike on
the west coast, with Ontario settling in somewhere
near the middle. The reality is that
Ontario has the most under-funded post-secondary
system in the country. The Ontario
government contributes less money per student
than any other province.
The Ontario government has been propagating the myth of affordable post-secondary education with ever-increasing enthusiasm in recent years. In reality, the cost of tuition has been steadily climbing to lessen the burden on the public purse.
Even when adjusting for inflation, post-secondary education is the most expensive it has ever been in Canada. The 30 per cent tuition rebate introduced by former Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty is only available to about one-third of students currently enrolled and does nothing to offset the initial cost of enrolment. Couple the increasing cost of tuition with societal pressure to pursue higher education, and the result is a high school graduate eager to sign off on an OSAP loan.
Taking on student debt is like a rite of passage for many. The annual reminder of how much you’ve already borrowed is merely a passing concern given the phenomenal career you’re sure to embark on immediately following graduation.
Unfortunately, a recent study published in the Toronto Star provided evidence that shows that while unemployment rates continue to be manageable, the type of employment available is far from ideal.
The income gap between the rich and the poor has been increasing over the past few decades but so has the salary gap between the young and the old. Recent graduates have a plethora of jobs available to them, it’s just that most of them pay minimum wage or are in the service industry.
In 2007, the amount of money that the federal government contributed to post-secondary education was $1 billion less than the amount contributed fifteen years earlier. Since 1993, the cost of college tuition has increased by over 400 per cent.
Although the actual cost of the degree has not increased by that margin, the amount that students are required to pay as the government scales back funding has. These troubling statistics were cited in a publication by the Canadian Federation of Students titled The Impact of Government Under-Funding on Students published January 2013.
The situation appears grave, but a conscientious individual with an accurate perception of money’s value can still use the financial tools provided to fund their education while accruing minimal debt.
Unfortunately, this is not an accurate description of most 17-year-old high school graduates, but they’ll have a responsible adult to give them an accurate perception of their own decisions.
The education system is heinously guilty of funnelling high school graduates into post-secondary programs with extremely limited employment opportunities. The government needs to take steps to ensure that high school graduates have the information they need to make an informed decision about their education path.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
The Ontario government has been propagating the myth of affordable post-secondary education with ever-increasing enthusiasm in recent years. In reality, the cost of tuition has been steadily climbing to lessen the burden on the public purse.
Even when adjusting for inflation, post-secondary education is the most expensive it has ever been in Canada. The 30 per cent tuition rebate introduced by former Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty is only available to about one-third of students currently enrolled and does nothing to offset the initial cost of enrolment. Couple the increasing cost of tuition with societal pressure to pursue higher education, and the result is a high school graduate eager to sign off on an OSAP loan.
Taking on student debt is like a rite of passage for many. The annual reminder of how much you’ve already borrowed is merely a passing concern given the phenomenal career you’re sure to embark on immediately following graduation.
Unfortunately, a recent study published in the Toronto Star provided evidence that shows that while unemployment rates continue to be manageable, the type of employment available is far from ideal.
The income gap between the rich and the poor has been increasing over the past few decades but so has the salary gap between the young and the old. Recent graduates have a plethora of jobs available to them, it’s just that most of them pay minimum wage or are in the service industry.
In 2007, the amount of money that the federal government contributed to post-secondary education was $1 billion less than the amount contributed fifteen years earlier. Since 1993, the cost of college tuition has increased by over 400 per cent.
Although the actual cost of the degree has not increased by that margin, the amount that students are required to pay as the government scales back funding has. These troubling statistics were cited in a publication by the Canadian Federation of Students titled The Impact of Government Under-Funding on Students published January 2013.
The situation appears grave, but a conscientious individual with an accurate perception of money’s value can still use the financial tools provided to fund their education while accruing minimal debt.
Unfortunately, this is not an accurate description of most 17-year-old high school graduates, but they’ll have a responsible adult to give them an accurate perception of their own decisions.
The education system is heinously guilty of funnelling high school graduates into post-secondary programs with extremely limited employment opportunities. The government needs to take steps to ensure that high school graduates have the information they need to make an informed decision about their education path.
Editorial opinions or comments expressed in this online edition of Interrobang newspaper reflect the views of the writer and are not those of the Interrobang or the Fanshawe Student Union. The Interrobang is published weekly by the Fanshawe Student Union at 1001 Fanshawe College Blvd., P.O. Box 7005, London, Ontario, N5Y 5R6 and distributed through the Fanshawe College community. Letters to the editor are welcome. All letters are subject to editing and should be emailed. All letters must be accompanied by contact information. Letters can also be submitted online by clicking here.
