British Columbia has expanded its tuition waiver program to include all former youth in government care enrolling in post-secondary education.
Selina Robinson, post-secondary education and future skills minister, says the program is no longer capped at the student’s 27th birthday.
She says the budget for the Provincial Tuition Waiver Program is $19.2 million over the next three years, providing former youth in care with free tuition at all 25 public post-secondary institutions, the Native Education College and approved union-based trades training providers.
Get daily National news
B.C.’s Ombudsperson Jay Chalke released a report last week that called on the government to compensate a woman who left government care at 17 years old to live with her aunt, but was denied post-secondary funding and ended up enrolling in a program at her own cost.
Children’s Minister Mitzi Dean said in a statement her ministry would review the report, but did not offer to compensate the woman.
The post-secondary education ministry says in a statement about 2,300 students have accessed the tuition waiver program since its implementation in 2017, resulting in the waiving of $16.6 million in tuition fees.
- Nova Scotia school support workers could strike Monday if no deal reached
- Alberta introduces new flag rules and restrictions for all schools starting in 2027
- Potential school support worker strike in N.S. puts families in limbo
- Ontario begins probe of eight private career colleges over alleged OSAP ‘fraud’
Comments
Want to discuss? Please read our Commenting Policy first.