Toronto News Ontario Votes 2011
Tuition grant would make college education possible
Rachel Chen Photo_E
Rachel Chen, 18, looks over some handouts she received on Sept. 20, her second day of college. She currently studies in a para-legal program at Herzing College in Toronto.
Last June, Rachel Chen graduated from Glenforest Secondary School in Mississauga. Completing Grade 12, she had difficulty finding the money to pay for her college application.
“When we were doing the actual application where you had to apply for post-secondary school, it was very discouraging,” she said. “Just to actually put your application through is $80.”
At the time, Chen, 18, contemplated putting the application process off for a year, because she couldn’t afford to pay the fee, let alone the tuition.
That could change if the Liberals are re-elected to govern Ontario on Oct. 6. Chen recently found out about the 30 per cent post-secondary tuition grant for full-time students that the Liberals have proposed in their election platform.
If elected, the Liberals will automatically apply the grant towards the tuition of undergraduate and college students coming from lower-class and middle-class families. They plan to introduce the tuition grant on Jan. 1, 2012, said Annette Phillips, a spokesperson for the Ontario Liberal Party.
Chen currently studies in a para-legal program at Toronto’s Herzing College and works at a Cineplex theatre. She can afford to go to school this year only because the college has agreed to help her with paying the tuition. Receiving an additional grant from the government would do a lot in helping her situation further.
“Every little bit helps,” Chen said.
The associate registrar of student financial services at Centennial College, Scherry George, said that reducing tuition by 30 per cent would make a significant difference for students.
“It’s a cut in tuition; it’s less money they’re paying. For the students on OSAP, that’s less loans they have to incur,” she said.
At Centennial College, the percentage of students on the Ontario Student Assistance Program (OSAP) fluctuates between 55 per cent and 65 per cent each year, George said.
At universities, however, about 30 per cent of students rely on OSAP, she said.
Apart from helping students financially, George believes the proposed grant would improve the post-secondary experience for many. She knows that, by having lower tuition payments, students wouldn’t need to work as many hours.
“A lot of students now, because they are so involved in working so hard, don’t have time to experience the experience of post-secondary,” George said. “They’re here, they (get) their grades and they run home because they have to get to work.”
Chen doesn’t receive financial aid from her parents and has had to struggle with going to school, working and making enough money to provide for herself.
“Every pay cheque I get, I basically I have to divide,” Chen said. “So you have to pay your rent, your living costs, your food, transportation… and then to still have money left over for spending money and have money to put in your savings account for school, it’s hard.”
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By Serge Lokshin September 29, 2011 - 11:54 pm
Great news story Anya! I found it a very interesting and informative read. The 30 per cent post-secondary tuition grant that the liberals have proposed in their platform seems like a very logical move that would definitely take the burden off the already sky-rocketing tuition fees. Many full-time undergraduate and college students would benefit tremendously from this grant and obviously have less loans to deal with. The important thing is to make sure that the liberals actively follow through with their promises ‘if’ and ‘when’ they are elected. That’s the big concern with politicians these days-they lack accountability and integrity to follow through with their proposed goals (at least that’s how it seems). Every political party is always claiming a reduction in taxation, yet every year we experienced an increase in tax burdens, among many other living expenses. The proposal for the tuition grant is a practical and much-needed endeavour. Let’s just hope that the Liberals are truly certain they can make it happen.
Anya, your story sounds very professional and reads smoothly all the way through. I especially like the fact that it covers a pertinent issue to which we can all relate.
You did a wonderful job!
Love you,
Serge
By Sara October 4, 2011 - 4:47 pm
I think this is a wonderful advancement as well concerning tuition and school fees. I don’t get help from my parents and rely 100% on OSAP and whatever I make over the summer months.
It is hard to go to school and the pressures with assignments and working are quite hard on most students. I am glad I get OSAP because it would be stressful to do work at school at the same time. I am trying to have the university experience and have a great time but it is also difficult when the money problems loom over your head. Traveling home for the holidays is and expense in itself and sometimes its one I have to sacrifice due to lack of funding.
I do hope that the Liberals keep to their word and that if and when they are elected I see that my tuition is 30% Lower than before. But once again it still sounds too good to be true… where is this grant coming from? What tax may be employed to make it work… we’ve seen this happen before and in these times of economic uncertainty can we afford to do this as a country?
Thank you
Sara