Stay informed with the LNN Daily Newsletter

Changes could be coming to post secondary education

Oct 30, 2018 | 2:29 PM

EDMONTON — The Alberta government says a new bill would give the province’s advanced education minister the power to regulate tuition.

The province says that the act, which was tabled Monday (Oct 29), would pave the way for government to cap an institution’s average tuition and apprenticeship fee increases to the Consumer Price Index.

It says it would also allow the minister to regulate mandatory non-instructional fees and international student tuition, and would give students more of a say over exceptional tuition and fee increases.

“Post-secondary education is the key to prosperity, especially in our province’s diversifying economy. But we need to make sure that students can afford to get a good university or college education, and that they have a say in the decisions that affect their education. That’s why we did such extensive consultation – we genuinely wanted to hear what Albertans had to say. By empowering our students, we help them get a good education and set our province up for continued success in the future,” said Marlin Schmidt, Minister of Advanced Education.

University students taking an average-priced program would save almost $2,000 on a four-year degree, the government says.

According to the news release, the bill would also “allow colleges, to transition to university status without future legislative amendments”.

The changes would be implemented February 1, 2019 if passed.