Mixed views from the New Brunswick Student Alliance on the Libveral government’s third budget.
It included a 5.4 per cent for post secondary education, and an additional seven million dollars to push spending in that department to $619 million.
But Executive Director Robert Burroughs says without specific details, they hope that money is used appropriately, “We noted that the government has committed to investing $6.5 million into financial assistance. We hope in the coming weeks, that will be formalized in some sort of expanded option for the Tuition Access Bursary program and what we hope will be the sliding scale.”
Burroughs says “We would have liked to have seen more of a commitment to money for mental health for post secondary students, and for providing international students provincial health care, which is something we had pushed for.”
There appears to have been no investment in on-campus mental health services or services unique to PSE students.
— NB Student Alliance (@NBSA_AENB) February 8, 2017
Reaction from students in Saint John re GNB 17/18 budget.
cc @TheChamberSJ https://t.co/WIUhZ5hjBl
— NB Student Alliance (@NBSA_AENB) February 8, 2017
He adds, “Not a lot of guidance in where the government is going in the way of plans, for a variety of different fields. We’re unsure of how much of the money will be in this year’s budget. So for the university sector, we’re unsure how much of the money will be available for students in a financial assistance perspective and also the operating grant perspective for the start of the coming school year.”
ICYMI, Storify of some pre-budget thoughts on impact of #nbpse international students on economy. https://t.co/JWryhipDiI #nbpse
— NB Student Alliance (@NBSA_AENB) December 8, 2016
