Students call on remaining parties to commit to conducting a comprehensive review

For Immediate Release May 28, 2009

(Antigonish) – The Alliance of Nova Scotia Student Associations (ANSSA), representing over 80% of the students in Nova Scotia, is calling on all parties to commit to conducting a comprehensive review of the post-secondary education system. ANSSA spokespeople say that such a move would ensure the long term prosperity of our system.

The Liberal party pledges to conduct a comprehensive review through their platform and during an all candidates’ debate on Tuesday evening Green Party leader Ryan Watson admitted a review is necessary. ANSSA is calling on the NDP and the governing Progressive Conservatives to commit to initiating a comprehensive review of higher education if elected.

“Our province has no set no long term direction for higher education,” explains ANSSA Chair Emma Cullen. “We need a review to begin the discussions to determine the future of higher education in this province.”

Six provinces have conducted comprehensive reviews of their higher education systems during the past decade. Nova Scotia remains one of the few provinces that have yet to take a proactive and responsible approach towards higher education.

A comprehensive review would entail consultation with all stakeholders in the post-secondary education community: students, faculty, university administrators, representatives from industry, government and community organizations. The review would produce a series of recommendations on issues including: accessibility to education, tuition fees, provincial funding for university operating grants, institutional governance, graduate programs, research and target setting. Most importantly a review would give clear recommendations on long term vision for the future of higher education in Nova Scotia.

“A comprehensive review of our higher education system would be 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 states that such a review is critical for creating a long term blue-print for post secondary education in our province.

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