Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of BC

Just over a year ago the provincial government launched a review of BC's public post-secondary education system. It was called Campus 2020 and it was led by Geoff Plant, the former BC Liberal Cabinet Minister from 2001 to 2005.

Just over a year ago the provincial government launched a review of BC's public post-secondary education system. It was called Campus 2020 and it was led by Geoff Plant, the former BC Liberal Cabinet Minister from 2001 to 2005.

After five years of legal wrangling, the Supreme Court of Canada has ruled on one of the most outrageous legislative measures that the BC Liberals ever enacted; their contract ripping labour legislation passed in January 2002.

A recent news report that Langara College has dismissed its Manager of Administrative Services in the Continuing Studies Department after an alleged fraud scheme was discovered by college accounting and finance staff raises more concerns about the practice of contracting out instructor services.

Geoff Plant's report, Access and Excellence: The Campus 2020 Plan for British Columbia's Post-Secondary Education System, marks an important admission that the BC Liberals' last six years of policy and funding choices have not worked.

For example, I'm glad that Mr. Plant finally agrees with us that Adult Basic Education should be tuition-free across the province. We've have told the government repeatedly that forcing ABE students to pay for their programs is just plain punitive. I read Mr.

On March 26, 2007, the BC Liberals tabled Bill 20, the School (Student Achievement Enabling) Amendment Act. In her introduction of the legislation, Education Minster Shirley Bond emphasized that the proposed amendments would ensure greater "accountability" within the K-12 education system and "improve quality and choice" for students.

On March 26, 2007, the BC Liberals tabled Bill 20, the School (Student Achievement Enabling) Amendment Act.

On the eve of his 2007 federal budget, federal Finance Minster Jim Flaherty followed the tradition of buying new shoes. However, in Mr. Flaherty's case, the shoes were hockey skates. After reading the details of his March 19th budget, you can see why he opted for skates. His fiscal plan weaves all over the ice, but he never seems to put the puck on net.

On the eve of his 2007 federal budget, federal Finance Minster Jim Flaherty followed the tradition of buying new shoes. However, in Mr. Flaherty's case, the shoes were hockey skates.

 

As we go marching, marching
We bring the greater days
For the rising of the women
Means the rising of the race
No more the drudge and idler
Ten that toil where one reposes
But the sharing of life's glories
Bread and roses, bread and roses

Bread and Roses
Lyrics, James Oppenheim, Music, Martha Colman

Premier Campbell and his Minster of Advanced Education, Murray Coell, got a nasty New Year's surprise last week with the announcement from the government of China that it would actively discourage its students from enrolling in private post-secondary training institutions in British Columbia. The announcement culminates a steady stream of media reports of international students in this province falling victim to the unsavory business practices of private, for-profit, post-secondary training institutions operating in BC.

 

Earlier this month Premier Campbell unveiled his plan to help BC's ailing public post-secondary education system. It was a plan short on details. But even more disconcerting, it was a plan draped in partisan politics, rather than anchored to sound public policy.

What was the Premier's plan? He announced that, starting in 2007, his government was going to "invest $1,000 in the name of each new child born here in British Columbia to help them meet their post-secondary skills development needs and learning in the future."

Investigative reporting by the Vancouver Sun is shining an uncomfortably bright light on BC's private, for-profit, post-secondary institutions. For more than a week, readers have learned about the questionable practices of Kingston College, including its degree-granting connection to American University in London (AUL) which is not an accredited university. In fact, AUL was recently fined over $20,000 by a London court for misleading students.