Jacqueline Perlin
Assistant News Editor
The Ontario Liberal Party unveiled their platform on education, which would provide tuition grants to middle-class students and cut approximately 30 per cent from tuition fee costs.
According to the Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities John Milloy, these grants will result in about $1,600 in savings for undergraduate students.
Nevertheless, Alastair Woods, vp campaigns and advocacy of the York Federation of Students (YFS) admits the platform leaves many questions unanswered.
“I find that the scheme of it is strange,” says Woods, explaining that the grants are coming alongside a continued tuition fee increase from the party. “My feeling is that it’s not a tuition fee reduction and that’s what the Liberals are trying to pawn it off as […] It’s strange that they wouldn’t just take [the tuition grant money] and make a tuition freeze.”
Woods noted post-secondary students in Ontario already pay the highest tuition fees in the country, and the fees will continue to increase under the platform of the Liberal party.
But Milloy says concerns surrounding the tuition grant are “ridiculous.”
“We’re still going to be lowering tuition fees by 30 per cent and we will continue to limit tuition fee increases,” says Milloy. He says that adding an entirely new tuition framework by the party will be available—if elected—by next spring.
Annette Phillips of the Ontario Liberal Media Office also explains Ontario has the highest number of students and “many more colleges and universities” than other provinces, resulting in higher tuition fees.
But Sandy Hudson, Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS), says Phillip’s argument “doesn’t hold weight.”
“A high population also means a high tuition base,” reasons Hudson.
Woods also raises concerns about how the grants will have an impact on the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) that many university students rely on.
Nevertheless, Milloy explains that adjustments will be made for students on OSAP.
“No student will be negatively affected [by the tuition grants],” confirms Milloy.
He adds the Liberal party put forward a five-year plan last spring called “Putting Students First,” a plan that addresses the quality of education in Ontario.
“There’s a mandate and enrollment agreement that we’re working on with Ontario universities,” says Milloy. He explains there is an effort to improve teacher performance.
“While organizations like the CFS like to blame quality on class sizes, it’s actually not class sizes at all,” says Milloy. “It’s the faculty-student ratio. I’ve heard of students in a dozen-person seminar having a horrible experience, and of students in a hundred-person lecture having a great experience. It’s about improving this overall experience.”
Milloy adds that the party plans to put about $500 million towards addressing the needs of university students.
The NDP and Conservative parties have yet to release their university education platforms. According to Hudson, the Conservative platform will be released later this week while the NDP platform will be released in the near future.
Provincial elections take place October 6, 2011.
