Report Summarizes Public Comments on Student Assistance Program

The need for more provincial grants, improved debt management programs and a more streamlined application and student-loan management system top the list of concerns of post-secondary students.

The report, from Compass Point Management Group, summarizes more than 5,000 comments and suggestions made during four weeks of consultation on the Nova Scotia Student Assistance Program.

The consultations were part of a government commitment in 2006 to complete a comprehensive review of student and graduate support programs, including loans, bursaries, debt forgiveness and tax credits.

"Our assistance programs help students who may not otherwise be able to afford a post-secondary education," said Education Minister Karen Casey. "Hearing from the students directly is an important way of ensuring we are making a difference.

"These programs and our initiatives to freeze tuition and establish a bursary for students are making university more affordable."

Students, parents and other interested groups shared their views either online, or at one of eight public meetings held in November and December 2007.

"The Nova Scotia government has taken a historic step by reaching out to students across the province about their concerns on student financial aid," said Mike Tipping, chair of the Alliance of Nova Scotia Student Associations.

Mr. Tipping's group, with 35,000 members, is the largest in Nova Scotia.

"We look forward to working with the government to help it continue to make the necessary changes to the system and make post-secondary education more affordable," said Mr. Tipping.

The province has launched a number of initiatives this year to help post-secondary education students.

Earlier this week the government announced a three-year freeze on university tuition for all and a $66-million bursary trust fund. The fund will provide Nova Scotian university students with thousands of dollars in tuition relief over the next three years.

In January, the province announced that it will move to a system of directly financing student loans. That initiative will cut student-loan interest rates by two percentage points.

Any other savings to government from the initiative will be used to enhance existing or establish new student assistance programs.

"This report will be valuable in determining where to target the savings," said Ms. Casey.

Nova Scotia annually processes more than 20,000 applications for assistance. Each year it issues more than $150 million in grants and loans through provincial and federal programs.

The report can be found online at www.sa-review.ednet.ns.ca .