HALIFAX--While universities across the province break for reading week, students are holding information pickets at NDP MLA offices in Halifax, Dartmouth and New Waterford as part of the Reduce Fees - Drop Debt Campaign. Students are calling on the government to increase funding to post-secondary education, reduce tuition fees and provide more non-repayable grants to students.

"Earlier this month thousands of students took to the streets in what was the largest student protest in Nova Scotia in nearly a decade, to call on the government to reduce tuition fees," said Else Graham, Chairperson of the Canadian Federation of Students – Nova Scotia. "We're committed to keeping the pressure on the NDP government to make the right decision and invest in post-secondary education and the future of this province."

The provincial government currently spends less on universities per-student than it did in 1990 in constant dollars. As a result, students in Nova Scotia currently pay some of the highest tuition fees in the country and graduate with the highest student debt, at $31, 000.On February 1, Advanced Education Minister Marilyn More, announced that the government plans to cut funding to universities by four percent and increase tuition fees by three percent. International students, and students in graduate or professional programs could face additional fee increases. A recent public opinion poll found that 83 percent of Nova Scotian voters support reducing tuition fees.

"Funding cuts to our institutions and tuition fee increases are not a foregone conclusion," said Graham. "We need to take every opportunity we can leading up to this spring's provincial budget to remind our NDP MLAs that the vast majority Nova Scotia voters support reducing tuition fees and increasing grants for students."

Last week, the Canadian Federation of Students – Nova Scotia presented budget recommendations to the Finance Minister that would help Nova Scotia build an affordable, high quality post-secondary education system, including reducing tuition fees, increasing funding for universities, converting ineffective student assistance programs to up-front grants and holding universities accountable for their spending. Students will be meeting with Minister More to present their recommendations this Thursday, February 24. You can view the recommendations at www.cfs-ns.ca.