VICTORIA--Students from across BC launched a campaign today to mobilize support for reducing student debt. A new campaign by the Canadian Federation of Students-BC seeks to reverse recent trends making education less affordable.

Tuition fees in BC are nearly $5,000 per year on average, yet the provincial government offers the least non-repayable student assistance in Canada."High tuition fees and paltry student aid make education in BC a debt sentence," said Shamus Reid, CFS-BC Chairperson. "Students and our families need relief."

Tuition fees have more than doubled in BC since 2001-far faster than the rate of inflation. The elimination of the provincial grants program in 2004 accelerated BC families' student debt accumulation to the point where average debt upon the graduation of a four-year program exceeds $27,000.

"Communities from Prince George to Victoria are feeling the squeeze of the recession. An educated workforce is going to be required for the recovery, but that can't happen if university and college isn't affordable," said Cindy Oliver, President of the Federation of Post-Secondary Educators of BC.

"Right now this government thinks that if you get in the front door of a university or college but borrow $10,000 a year to do it, then that's a success story," said Reid. "This campaign is about flagging the dangers of mortgaging the future and articulating realistic alternatives to life-long student debt."

The Canadian Federation of Students-BC's campaign calls for the provincial government to roll back tuition fees, establish a grants program, eliminate interest on student loans, and restore funding to universities and colleges.

The Canadian Federation of Students-British Columbia is BC's provincial student organisation, representing over 150,000 university and college students in the province. The CFS-BC is the provincial affiliate of the Canadian Federation of Students, an alliance of more than 80 university and college students' unions and Canada's largest student organisation, with a combined membership of over one-half million students.