I think the government should help support all students financially. In a time where most of us are unemployed or “underemployed” (some training and education but no jobs available), what else is there to do but go back to school? Everyone should be encouraged to get more education.
I myself am a newlywed; before I got married I took a college course to find a decent paying job. Luckily, at the time I had a family member who was willing to help me one time financially. After graduating and going out to the job market, there wasn’t much out there. Most places were word of mouth hiring or were not very nice places to work at. So after two years of working retail and getting hitched, I decided, “I’m now married and should be able to go back to school.” So, like most, I decided to get a student loan, because I now have a mortgage and a husband to feed. Sadly, because I am married and my husband owns his vehicle, I don’t qualify for a government student loan. Apparently you are supposed to be broke and not own a thing to get one. I don’t get how anyone is ever supposed to pay that back then?! I started to ask around, and it seemed that most people I knew had the same experience.
In 2010 the Olympics were held in Vancouver and hundreds of millions of dollars were spent, close to 900 million. Many people were not happy with the Olympics at all. They were very dissatisfied with the opening ceremonies and several things did not even work out as planned.
Now why can’t some of those hundreds of millions of dollars go to help students in Canada? I was able to take two courses this year and charge them. My plan was to do the same for 2011. But now somehow it has been approved that you can no longer charge your classes as of January 1, 2011. And you are charged over two hundred dollars in extra fees for a radio station and a U-pass, which I will never use. Can I not get a break? Now I am forced to not be a student and wait till I can save up to pay for a class in full, and UFV only gives you two weeks to pay for it.
Where is the support from universities and the government to help people get educated?
Amanda Esau
