FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 8, 2019
INVESTING IN POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION FOR THE FUTURE OF NEWFOUNDLAND AND LABRADOR: ALISON COFFIN
Support tuition freeze, progressively reduce tuition fees, reinstate full needs-based grants program and properly fund post-secondary education institutions.
ST. JOHN’S – The NL NDP considers education as an investment, not an expense. Today, NL NDP Leader Alison Coffin announced the NDP’s plan to make post-secondary education more accessible and affordable in Newfoundland and Labrador.
“As an educator and economist who taught young women and men for the past twenty-five years, I know that investing in young people is investing in the future. They’re investing in their education, and we should too,” said Coffin. “The NDP does not believe this is an area to cut the budget. Education is what will secure our economic, political, social and cultural future.”
The Liberal cuts to funding in post-secondary education is hurting post-secondary institutions and putting students at risk of higher tuition fees. Institutions need funding to ensure they can deliver good quality publicly funded education. Cuts directly affect students and their ability to afford and access education and drives them into deeper in debt.
“Student debt is a serious issue for many who choose to study in our province,” added Coffin. “Student debt and tuition fees are barriers to potential students who, even though they meet all academic requirements, simply cannot afford the up-front costs of an education.”
The NDP is committed to making life more affordable for students and to ensuring core funding for Memorial University and the College of the North Atlantic is returned to an adequate level. The NDP further commits to working with Memorial and the College to address the huge deferred maintenance problem and return their facilities to an acceptable level.
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For more information please contact the NL NDP Campaign Communications Team by phone 709-746-7455 or by email news@nl.ndp.ca