WINNIPEG--The Canadian Federation of Students-Manitoba believes the Manitoba New Democratic Party's election platform on education may make tuition fee increases and student loans less onerous, but will do little to solve the pressing problems of rising tuition fees and student debt. Students are urging the NDP to take some easy steps to really improve access to post-secondary education.

"Accessibility to post-secondary education is the result of an increase in funding for universities and colleges and grants for students, as well as a decrease in tuition fees, rather than reliance on tuition fees and loans schemes such as Manitoba Student Aid," said Marakary Bayo, Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students-Manitoba. "As long as tuition fees exist, they should at least be frozen. As long as student loans exist, they should at least be interest-free."

The Manitoba NDP announced its education platform Wednesday. The NDP promised, if elected, to limit tuition fee increases to the rate of inflation, reduce student loan interest rates, change the Manitoba Student Aid programme so that students can own a car and work during the school year without penalty, and pass a law requiring government to make three-year funding agreements with post-secondary institutions.

"The commitment from the NDP to map out plans for funding, control tuition fees, further reduce student loan interest rates, and make student loans criteria less punitive is part of what students have been asking the Province to do," commented Bayo. "But it needs to be done right."

On average, a Manitoba student will accumulate $19,000 of debt to complete their post-secondary education. International students are not eligible for Manitoba Student Aid, even though they face higher tuition fees than Canadians.

"Doing things right means creating a real tuition fee freeze, one that includes international students and comes with adequate funding," concluded Bayo.