Ontario Government’s Plan for Colleges and Universities is “Putting Students First”
John Milloy, Ontario’s Minister of Training, Colleges and Universities announced that the province will be Putting Students First.
Milloy unveiled a new plan (titled Putting Students First, obviously) and promised a renewed commitment to the affordability, accessibility, accountability and quality of higher education in Ontario.
Sean Madden, President of the Ontario Undergraduate Student Alliance says that the plan is a step in the right direction.
“Students have always believed that improving access to post-secondary education needs to begin early, and today’s announcement signals that we will begin to directly address these challenges,” said Madden.
The plan includes steps to:
- Enroll more students, with 60,000 more spaces at colleges and universities over the next five years. This also includes more apprenticeships.
- Regulated tuition fees, a rebooted Ontario Student Assistance Program and more financial assistance.
- Funded partnerships between colleges and universities that help students earn both a diploma and a degree.
- A province-wide credit transfer system to cut the cost and difficulties students have transferring schools.
- More Access to Opportunities funding, which will help Aboriginal students, persons with disabilities, Crown wards, francophone and first generation students.
“It is reassuring to see that the Ontario government’s vision emphasizes putting students first. We are hopeful that this commitment will include student involvement in the upcoming negotiations of new institutional agreements to help ensure that our priorities are included,” said Sam Andrey, Executive Director of OUSA.
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