Minister discusses outcome of Council of Ministers of Education meeting

Youth Services and Post-Secondary Education Minister Sandra Kelly today discussed the outcome of the meeting of the Council of Ministers of Education, Canada (CMEC) held in Moose Jaw this week.

"The meeting was an opportunity to discuss with my colleagues the direction of education, particularly post-secondary education in Canada. We discussed many issues including copyright law, labour market development and research funding," said Minister Kelly. "Perhaps most importantly, we discussed the continued need to develop appropriate responses to student debt and financial assistance."

The minister said: "The needs of students are constantly changing in the current educational environment, and we need to be ready with appropriate responses including improved career development and programs that help young people get funding while attending post-secondary institutes. This was raised during our discussions and I am pleased to see that all the ministers are, and remain, committed to working toward viable solutions."

During the meeting, ministers also agreed to revisit the issue of transferability of post-secondary credits between colleges and universities, and between provinces and territories.

"Moving toward an open credit exchange is important for a number of reasons. Students need to be able to complete their education in a timely manner to maximize both their economic and academic opportunities," said Minister Kelly. "An effort to recognize credit transfer can cut down on study time and enable a student to finish in a timely and efficient manner. This reduces both debt and repetition during program time."

The CMEC was formed in 1967 and is the national voice for education in Canada. It is composed of ministers responsible for elementary-secondary and post-secondary education in every province and territory. The council is a forum in which members can share information and best practices in order to enhance the quality of education. It also works with the broader education community to ensure that our provincial and territorial systems of education are among the most innovative and flexible in the world. 

Media Contact: Janice Lockyer, Communications, (709) 729-6573.

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