Education Challenge To Leadership Hopefuls
By 250 News
Prince George, B.C. - The President of B.C. Colleges is challenging the leadership hopefuls to make post-secondary education a priority on their agendas.
Jim Reed speaks for 11 member colleges around the province. He says with the B.C. Liberals set to select a new premier at the end of the month and a new provincial budget to be tabled, "We feel this is the opportune time to ignite the conversation abut the importance of committing to a bold plan for post-secondary education in British Columbia."
"It's predicted that 600,000 college graduates will be required within the next ten years to take on the new jobs being created in the knowledge-based economy," says Reed. "That, plus the tsunami of baby-boomers set to retire, will result in a massive skills shortage if we do not act now."
He says the colleges will be engaging wih the candidates in the coming weeks, adding that public investment is education and training is the key to preparing a skilled workforce and driving regional economic development.
The Liberal candidates did speak to the importance of continued education and training at yesterday's closed party debate in Prince George. However, the College of New Caledonia announced just this past Friday it is facing a $1.8-million dollar budget shortfall for the 2011-2012 school year. (click here, for previous story),
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Posted by: Retired 02 on February 4 2011 9:37 AM
If one attends 80% of all classes the tuition is covered for those courses (obligation of the student), otherwise the student pays the regular cost for that course. For the college I'd make it obligatory for them to provide a minimum of 60% of the courses in the late afternoon or early evening, so as to maximize shift worker participation.
If voters don't understand how the system works our democracy fails. If voters don't understand history then our democracy fails. Or at least democracy doesn't live up to its full potential.
For the students in an era of ever increasing tuition costs if they focus their electives on civics and history... which makes a student well rounded no matter what they are majoring in... then this free course credits is a subsidy to their education based on merit that in effect is a potential 20% reduction in tuition costs for a degree. Substantial in the era of endless student loans.
For the institutions offering these courses its a way to get new students in the door and a substantial funding source that can have upside growth potential the more they expand their services to civic minded citizens.
For the civic minded citizen its an opportunity to learn.. and for some an introduction in post secondary education.
For costs to cover this I would simply roll back the corporate income tax rate to what it was in 2008. They would still have the lowest rates in North America and for once the corpocracy would be paying to support those who should be the real decision makers in this province.
It will never happen though... BC is no longer about equalizing opportunities and enabling the citizens to participate in democracy or have affordable education... but it would get my vote.