Liberal party tops student report card, no party gets full marks

For Immediate Release May 25, 2009

(Halifax) – The Alliance of Nova Scotia Student Associations (ANSSA), representing over 80% of the students in Nova Scotia, released a report card on the post-secondary education planks of all four provincial political parties.

The grade standings for each of the party’s higher education platforms were as follows:

• Green Party of Nova Scotia: D
• Nova Scotia Liberal Party: B-
• Nova Scotia New Democratic Party: C
• Progressive Conservative Party of Nova Scotia: C-

The distinguishing feature of the Liberal platform was the promise to conduct a comprehensive review of Post-Secondary Education. “A comprehensive review of our higher education system is a big step in the right direction for students and for our province,” explained Mark Coffin, Executive Director of ANSSA. ANSSA has been calling for a comprehensive review for several years. Coffin believes that such a review is critical for creating a long term blue-print for post secondary education in our provinces.

Emma Cullen, ANSSA chairperson, notes that while the Liberal party earned the highest mark in the ANSSA report card, no party has yet done enough on post-secondary education issues. “We’re still waiting for a political leader to be a champion for accessibility to higher education in our province,” explains Emma Cullen, ANSSA chair. “Students in our province face significant financial and non-financial barriers to post-secondary education, and we’ve yet to see a willingness to confront those barriers head on. Confronting these access challenges will allow us to prepare our province for a sustainable future and curb problems like outmigration, unrealistic debt and an aging and retiring population.”

The full report card can be viewed here.

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