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The report confirmed what students have identified for years, that higher tuition fees are a barrier to access for students from low-income and middle-low income families.
TORONTO (Sept. 17 2009) - A report released yesterday by the Higher Education Quality Council of Ontario (HEQCO) links higher tuition fees to lower participation among low-income high school students, a finding that is no surprise to college and university students.
"A high school student from a low-income family or from a rural area of Ontario must have the same access to a university or college degree as a student from a high-income family in an urban centre," said Shelley Melanson, Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students-Ontario. "This report indicates that high school students from high-income backgrounds are far more likely to apply to university than students from low-income backgrounds, and that this gap is steadily growing. It is clear that equal access to higher education is a myth and students need lower tuition fees."
While the report analysed data up until 2005, it has been released just weeks after a recent Statistics Canada report that found that students in Ontario have faced record-high levels of unemployment during the summer months. This reality, when combined with high fees and high debt, paints a bleak picture for many students hoping to pursue a college or university education in order to improve their opportunities.
Students in Ontario pay tuition fees that are set to become the highest in Canada as Ontario's funding for post-secondary education continues to fall short of the national average. Record debt levels that reach as high as $28,000 for a four-year program greet those who are fortunate enough to attend college or university.
"If the Ontario Government is serious about addressing poverty and expanding access to post-secondary education, it must invest in post-secondary education and drop fees," said Melanson. "Ignoring these warning signs and further indebting this current generation of students will have negative consequences for graduates and the economy."
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More Information:
University Participation and Income Differences: An Analysis of Applications by Ontario Secondary School Students - download full report