According to the government, the universities don’t have enough money to operate. The tuition fees are already increasing more than the inflation. The inflation in Quebec is about 2,7 % per year but the tuition fees have gone up of 4,3 % last year.[1] This means the fees were already increasing more than inflation. The Quebec government has announced it would within five years double the tuition fees. As it was widely reported, tuition fees should go up from 2,200$ a year to 3,800$ in 2016-2017.[2]
This will have an impact. I am sure people will be more oriented towards less long education degrees in order to have less debt and to have a job faster. For example, the tuition hikes will probably lower the amount of people going to universities mostly the ones getting a masters or doctorates degree. People will be more oriented towards DEP’s or technics since they will cost less and get them a job faster. In other words, Quebec will lose professionals and have less people with good education. People will be less oriented towards studying. I find already too many people don’t go to school after high school but I am sure this won’t help. People will probably need to take a year to work before going to university in order to be able to pay all their expenses and to avoid accumulating large debts.
In 1888, the universities were funded at 87% by the Quebec government. The rest was assumed by at 7,5% by the students and at 5,4% by the private sector. In 2009, the universities are funded only at 65,8% by the Quebec government. The rest paid at 22% by the students and at 12,2% by the private sector.[3] The students went from paying 7,5% of the universities fees to 22% in about twenty years but the actual government thinks this is not enough and wants to double the cost of going to university. I think the tuition hikes will, instead of giving more money to the universities, give the opportunity for the government to lower even more it’s contribution to the education.
Before asking even more money to the students. Universities should try to cut on their expenses. On average Quebec’s university rectors are paid 358 000$ per year.[4] Instead of asking all of the money to the students the universities could try to cut on the expenses this way the amount they are asking the students could be lowered a little bit.
For my part the tuition hikes will not have an impact on whether or not I am going to go to university or not but it will have an impact on how much I spend during my studies. I will have to check more how I spend my money in order to finish studying with least debt possible. I know I will probably need to have to keep a job during my university studies to be able to pay all my expenses. Increasing tuition fees will have an impact on how many hours people work while they go to school. Everyone know that working while going to school lowers grades. The increase in tuition fees might have an impact on grades since probably the majority of students will have to work more to pay everyting.
Even though Quebec universities are amongst the least expensive universities in Canada, they should start by finding ways to lowering their operating costs before asking more from the students. Also, I think it is alright to increase tuition fees but I believe that doubling them within five years is a little too much. Things should go a little more gradualy. Who gets double their salary increased within five years?
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