Dear editor,
How long can governments continue to ignore the student debt crisis? College and university students in Canada owe over $15 billion just to the federal government, never mind provincial or bank loans.
By allowing so much student debt to accumulate, the government is transferring its responsibility to fund education onto the backs of students and our families.
The problem is that tuition fees continue to increase while most family incomes have stagnated. For most, pursuing higher education is simply a way to get a decent job. Graduating from college and university with over $27,000 in debt is a significant wall in the road to a good life. Whatever happened to education as a way to give everyone an equal and fair chance?
The main reason that students need to get into debt is because tuition fees are so high. The solution is easy: if governments were to make education a priority and reduce tuition fees by increasing funding, we would not be forced to take on mortgage-sized debts just to go to school.
Chelsey Gurr
Current BBA student at NIC