Why a Renewed Call for Free Post-Secondary Education in Canada is Relevant Now More Than Ever
Recently a number of Québec’s universities and CEGEPs announced that the Fall school semester will be delivered primarily through remote online learning platforms. Université de Montréal, McGill University, and Université de Laval in Québec City have also stated that some small in-person class seminars, workshops, and other academic and engagement activities may be permitted depending on public health guidelines.
The sudden shift to remote online learning platforms and the current global economic crisis have raised significant concerns among current and future post-secondary students. Students are concerned about their finances and facing high rates of unemployment during the summer months. Given that many students rely on summer employment to save money, they are now worried that they will be unable to pay their Fall tuition fees. These concerns are beginning to reignite calls for free post-secondary education as a way of supporting students during the major economic crisis currently unfolding.
According to a recent report released by Statistics Canada, youth and students have been “disproportionately affected” by the COVID-19 economic crisis. In general, youth and students are more likely to occupy insecure jobs in hard-hit industries such as food service and accommodation. Between February to April, employment among youth (aged 15 to 24) declined by 34.2%. An additional 25% of youth who remained employed throughout April reported losing a substantial portion of their usual hours worked. The reality for students (aged 15 to 24) is also grim, with the unemployment rate in April rising to a distressing 31.7%.
The majority of students and recent graduates who have not lost a job due to the COVID-19 crisis are not currently eligible for the Canada Emergency Relief Benefit (CERB). Considering this, students who are eligible are applying for the new Canada Emergency Student Benefit (CESB), which will provide students with $1,250 per month from May until August. Students with disabilities and students who are caregivers are eligible for a top-up to receive $1,750 per month.
The CESB will certainly help cover the cost of some living expenses for many students over the coming months, but the amounts provided will demand a tight budget that does not leave any room for saving money. For students living in high-rent cities like Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria, and Montréal, the amounts provided may not even be enough to cover the cost of rent and groceries for each month. Although the legislation for the CESB was passed on May 1st, applications only opened on May 15th. For some students, the benefit is “too little, too late”, as they have already been unable to pay their rent for the month of May, forcing them to leave or face potential eviction.
It is also crucial to mention that tens of thousands of recent graduates and international students are ineligible for the CESB. The benefit can only be claimed by students who are Canadian citizens, registered “Indians”, permanent residents, and specific protected persons. As well, only students who graduated in December 2019 and onwards are eligible, leaving many 2019 graduates behind.
Student groups including the Canadian Federation of Students (CFS) and Don’t Forget Students (N’Oubliez Pas Les Étudiants) have been active in supporting students throughout the COVID-19 crisis. Don’t Forget Students, a grassroots group made of students, recent graduates, families, young parents, and public servants, have already collected almost 50,000 signatures for their petition that advocates for improved and expanded CESB provisions.
Although these efforts should not go unnoticed or be undermined, real and meaningful policy change is needed to significantly improve the lives and livelihoods of recent, current, and future post-secondary students.
The call for free post-secondary education is not a new concept in Canada and around the world. Much like the public education system in Canada, universal post-secondary education would provide free academic learning and hands-on training to all interested students, regardless of their ability to pay. It makes it more possible for students, particularly those who are impoverished, disenfranchised and traditionally blocked from accessing education, to study and practice in their chosen field. It would also eliminate the need for students to take on thousands of dollars in student debt that follow them for many years after they graduate.
Free post-secondary education has been shown to be an effective way of creating more equal societies through higher rates of social welfare, health, and happiness and lower crime rates. It enables all young people to access education, even during economic crises, regardless of whether it was caused by a housing market crash or a public health emergency. Free post-secondary education would make it more possible for young people to begin or continue pursuing their studies and training in the face of an unprecedented economic crisis and terrifyingly high unemployment rates.
Free post-secondary education in Canada is long overdue and it is high time that provincial, territorial and federal governments get serious about actively supporting students and youth across the country.
Article By: Alexandra Holtom, contributor at Policy Press (www.policypress.ca)
