NLIS 20
March 21, 2005
(Education)


Sound principles guide post-secondary and continuing education investments

Education Minister Tom Hedderson said today that Budget 2005 reflects government�s plan to ensure the evolution and growth of a post-secondary and continuing education system based on the principles of quality, affordability and accessibility.

Continuation of Tuition Freeze
Following through its Blueprint commitment, government has committed to a tuition freeze for Memorial University (MUN) and College of the North Atlantic (CNA) for the next three years (barring any unforeseen financial crises). "There are many contributing factors to student debt. Post-secondary student organizations have clearly communicated that their priority in addressing this issue is the maintenance of the tuition freeze," said Minister Hedderson. "We must ensure that our post-secondary system is affordable and accessible. This freeze will mean that tuition in this province remains the lowest rate in the country, and 40 per cent lower than the national average." The tuition freeze does not apply to international students.

White Paper
In the 2004 Speech from the Throne, government announced a commitment to a white paper on public post-secondary education. Government has allocated $14.7 million for the implementation of white paper initiatives. "We are diligently moving forward with the white paper process," said Minister Hedderson. "Extensive consultations and research have been conducted to ensure all options and opportunities are considered. Allocations have been made based on current anticipated outcomes of the white paper." Government will release the white paper to the people of Newfoundland and Labrador this spring.

Sustaining our Institutions
Minister Hedderson acknowledged the two primary avenues for revenue for post-secondary institutions are government grants and tuition. "Government is committed to stable funding for our institutions to ensure high quality programming and appropriate infrastructure. We will work in partnership with Memorial University and College of the North Atlantic through white paper initiatives to ensure the highest quality opportunities are available to all Newfoundlanders and Labradorians." This year government will provide $174.4 million to Memorial University and $65.5 million to College of the North Atlantic. This represents an increase of approximately $20 million over last year�s budget. This funding will enable the institutions to maintain the tuition freeze.

Research and Development
Government will invest $5 million for research and development initiatives at Memorial University and College of the North Atlantic. This funding will be used to allow our institutions to access federal and private sector research and development funding. "In order to grow our economy, the province needs to invest in research and development, as it leads directly to economic opportunities. This contribution levers an additional $4-5 for every $1 invested by the province," said Minister Hedderson.

Career Awards
Government has allocated $226,000 to support work-term placements for post-secondary students in offshore research and development. "The Career Awards Program has made a significant impact in building strategic knowledge and skills throughout the post-secondary education sector," said Minister Hedderson. "Students have gained petroleum-related work experience from all over the world and the groundwork has been laid for long-term impact on the economy of the future." Partnerships between education, industry, business, and provincial and federal governments have been recognized as essential to the development of a highly qualified workforce within research and development and the petroleum industry.

Adult Literacy
Government will provide $230,000 to continue funding previously provided by the federal government for its share of Adult Basic Education Level I pilot program. This funding is in addition to the $300,000 currently allocated to support adult literacy programs. "Funding of Adult Basic Education and literacy initiatives contributes to the social and economic development of our province," said the minister. "The inter-generational benefits of literacy are well established. Higher literacy levels of parents have a positive impact on the achievement of their children. A recent analysis from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development shows that a one per cent increase in adult literacy produces a permanent 1.5 per cent increase in gross domestic product."

Media contact: Nora Daly, Communications, (709) 729-1906, 728-2819

2005 03 21                     3:10 p.m.


SearchHomeBack to GovernmentContact Us


All material copyright the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. No unauthorized copying or redeployment permitted. The Government assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of any material deployed on an unauthorized server.
Disclaimer/Copyright/Privacy Statement