Extension of tuition freeze 'open to interpretation,' minister says
Government won't commit to renewing fee freeze in next week's budget
University students in Manitoba are bracing for higher tuition fees now that the Doer government has declined to say whether it will prolong its eight-year-old tuition freeze in next week's provincial budget.
Advanced Education Minister Diane McGifford wouldn't address the issue directly Wednesday after being asked about a party campaign promise in the 2007 election to extend the tuition freeze.
"The word 'extend' is, I suppose, open to interpretation," she told CBC News. "I'm saying it was extended for one year [2007-08]."
She declined to say whether the freeze will end this year.
Students worried
Students accuse the government of breaking its promise and say they can't afford to pay more than what they currently pay. The average undergraduate tuition for the 2005-06 academic year in Manitoba was $3,272.
"We think the university definitely needs more money to do its work," said Megan Roberts, president of the Manitoba Law Students Association.
"The problem is that we feel universities are notoriously bad and inefficient at spending money, so we don't want to see the university have complete control over the tuition rise."
She said she hopes the government will protect students by capping any increase.
University officials say they desperately need more money to beef up resources — everything from classroom equipment to classrooms themselves.
The tuition freeze has led to the deterioration of facilities and the quality of education, says James Blatz, associate head of civil engineering at the University of Manitoba. One example of this, he said, is the school's engineering building, which houses the Information Technologies department but is so old that it does not support wireless internet access.
Bargain fees
The freeze has helped Manitoba students enjoy among the lowest cost for university in the country — about 35 per cent less than in the neighbouring provinces of Saskatchewan and Ontario.
They also have among the lowest debt levels in Canada, which has been attributed to the tuition freeze and government bursaries, according to Student Aid Manitoba. Average student-loan debt accumulated by a Manitoba student in a four-year university program was approximately $18,000 in 2005-06, financial aid organization said.
The provincial budget will be tabled on April 9. |
