Saskatchewan Election "Battle of the Student Tuition Plans"
The Saskatchewan NDP has released the following plan:
This is building on the McCall report:
Premier Lorne Calvert today announced plans to give young people even greater access to affordable post-secondary education and more reason to build their futures in Saskatchewan.
"An NDP government means that Saskatchewan students will be the first in Canada to see their undergraduate university tuition reduced by $1,000 in the 2008-09 school year, in addition to benefiting from a tuition freeze that will continue next year.
"This brings our tuition to well below the Canadian average, and your NDP team will make sure it remains well below the Canadian average in future years. By linking tuition to the Consumer Price Index, your NDP team is providing students with tuition protection," the Premier said.
Last year alone, the tuition freeze saved students an average of $1,500. An additional $1,000 in savings for each university undergraduate will ensure the cost of post-secondary education remains within reach of students.
Wheres the Sask Party Plan is a little weak:"Following extensive consultation throughout Saskatchewan, Regina Elphinstone-Centre MLA Warren McCall, now Minister of Corrections and Public Safety developed 45 options and recommendations. "
Students will lose under Brad Wall's policy. Tuitions will skyrocket. There will be no tuition reduction and no tuition protection from future increases...Unlike the Sask Party, the NDP welcomes young graduates from out of province who choose to pursue their careers and build their future in Saskatchewan. How is this complicated Sask Party program any incentive for people to come back to Saskatchewan and build their futures?
3 comments:
You are banking on the hope the student(s) will stay. What you missed is there is NO ASSURANCE that any student will stay in Sask try to build a future. How many students will come for cheap education and leave?
There is equal chance that the trends of the past 16 years of NDP rule continue, students may well continue to come (or those raised here), get an education, then leave for opportunities elsewhere.
So this is brilliant strategy? Attract the elderly and the young who do little to contribute to the tax base and HOPE that some of it will stick?
As my good old Gamma used to say: 'If wishes were horses, then beggars (and NDP politicians) would ride.'
Weak, weak, weak.
Perhaps the rest of us who stayed and PAID for our education ourselves should consider launching a lawsuit for equalization of student funding. New students get an unfair advantage and unequal share of Saskatchewan's educational resources.
"You are banking on the hope the student(s) will stay."
Yes, I am optimistic about the future in Saskatchewan, unlike the negative losers that always trash the place.
Oh and by the way, the Sask Party plan assumes the same thing.
Students are already staying in Saskatchewan because of the booming economy. (not to mention the cheap cost of living and amazing vibrant cities like Saskatoon). In the most recent stats I saw over 90% of nurses are remaining in the province to work, and 86% of post secondary grads were remaining in Saskatchewan.
There is always going to be young people who want to leave, we are a transient generation and no amount of tax credit or rebate 'blackmail' will force young people to stay here. regardless many young people already WANT to stay in Saskatchewan. Citizen Wilson is ignoring the realities of why graduates leave.
Our booming economy with vibrant communities will keep people here. It's also common knowledge many young people will settle where they go to school. They become part of their community, meet spouses, friends, etc. Having some of the highest fees in the country, while next door in Manitoba it's like having a "1/2 off sale" is a sure way to ensure our high school graduates leave the province and never return.
Rather than saddling young people with mortgage sized debt loads (ensuring they'll flee to Alberta and other places for the highest possible wages) we should be ensuring an affordable Education with an UP FRONT grants program to reduce student debt and increase accessibility.
It's not rocket science. When was the last time you heard a student say "I chose to move to Saskatchewan and go to the U of S because it was the most expensive school on the prairies, and I knew I'd graduate with $30,000 in debt..... but don't worry they have a food bank on campus and I'm getting a rebate in 7 years after graduation assuming I can find a job worth staying for"?
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