Students make lousy cowboys.
Why else would we watch the Progressive Conservative packs pull down one of our sacred cows, Accessible Education. Sure, we swore. "Darn wild dogs" but then we sighed, "Oh well. It's too late anyway."
We have to do more than say, "Darn PCs." Protesting, like paying your tuition on September 30, is a good preliminary action but we must do more. We must propose alternatives. I ask: "Why isn't tuition free?"
Tuition has jumped 64 per cent from the $828 tuition paid in 1984-85. Between 1989-90 and 1994-95, tuition rocketed from $1069 per year to our current $2278.80, a 53 per cent increase. None of these figures include increases in Student Union and Services fees.
Even as we come to grips with our Fall courses, the PC predators hope to levy an even more severe student tax (deliberately called a cap to create false hope and stunt popular protest). We currently pay 18.7 per cent of actual costs, about $12,186.
This tax/user fee will target the poorest age segment of the population: lucky us. If passed, I predict tuition will jump as of January 1, 1995 to 25% of actual cost for people who register that year. Students of 95-96 will pay about $3046.53, a 25% jump in fees from this year.
I suspect the PCs will drive tuition to the cap by 1997-98, an election year costing students $4021.41 each year. By the end of the decade, tuition will have risen over 73 per cent. Worst of all, the government will likely want us to pay more for the education of our children. That's quite a burden to place on the future of Alberta, not to mention Canada.
Enough bad news. The PCs final solution to the debt they created gets the public to pay more for services by cutting public funding. I suggest students pay less and cut costs that way.
Countries as diverse as Scotland, Argentina and France already provide free Advanced Education to willing students. Both parties benefit economically and socially. Clearly, Alberta's pro-pay position is archaic in a global marketplace, but can we afford to modernize?
In September 1993, 103,000 full time post-secondary students and 75,000 part-time students started school, which, according to Labour Market Research, equals 119,000 Full Time Equivalent students. Ignoring the fact that the U of A charges more than most post-secondary institutions in Alberta, students pay about $277 million in tuition fees. The government then picks up the remaining $1.179 billion. Then, to send 178,000 students to school for free would cost about $1.46 billion, about 1.9 per cent of Alberta's 1993 GDP.
This is a bargain. The most Alberta has paid in the past decade has been 2.1 per cent of our GDP. To pay only 1.9 per cent for free education is a bargain compared to what other provinces pay. In 1991, Prince Edward Island paid 2.9 per cent and our flat, eastern neighbour paid 2.3 per cent. Meanwhile, British Columbia whose tuition is cheaper than ours, paid 1.6 per cent of its GDP and has since opened a new university.
In fact, if the PCs bought in to the free tuition idea, they would only need to pay for 70 per cent of their elementary, secondary and post-secondary students' full education thanks to transfer payments from the federal and municipal governments. Finally, Albertans would know their money was going to good use.
The provincial government seems intent on spending on everything but education. Disasters like Novatel, Gainers and the Loydminster heavy oil upgrader have cost taxpayers more than $1.58 billion; six years of tuition for 178,000 part and full time students. What about the High River Magnesium Company plant Albertans have paid $1 million per month for since 1991? On Sunday, the PCs announced they would spend another $200 million to protect "Alberta's" $500 million interest in Swan Hills Special Waste Treatment Centre and might subsidize it further with another $500 million hit.
When do students, the future of our nation and the future of their tax coffers, get a $600 million break? That could pay for 65,850 students' tuition for a four-year degree. Reliable investments are few and far between. Education happens to be one of them.
If we pay tuition, we may not be able to finish our degrees. If the Alberta taxpayers (that's us in four short years) support Advanced Ed, we will guarantee completion of our education.
I have only begun to think of the additional benefits. The value of good grades and effort would return. Students could eat decently. They and their families would have more disposable income and time to invigorate the economy and volunteer in their communities (good experience). The government's direct payment to the institutions would make Advanced Ed schools more efficient by cutting out the bureaucrats which process 178,000 payments. Best of all: No student loans, no student debt. The bottom line: our society would become healthier.
Believe it.
Still, knowing the conservative pack, I have a moderate proposal: Halt all tuition hikes at the 1994-95 level and study the idea's feasibility.
The obvious consequence of ignoring this option would be direct confrontation. Our province will smarten up only if the public (us!) demand it. The alternative is to see students remember they have stout sticks and sharp tools to defend their sacred cows with. End the student tax! Zero tuition now!