Monday, May 4th was a milestone event in efforts to re-instate tuition-free ABE in BC. As members of the Legislature debated the issues, NDP MLAs led the debate – their points resonating and meeting with applause from the thousands of ABE students around the province watching via live webcast.
Kathy Corrigan – NDP, Burnaby – Deer Lake
Rob Fleming – NDP, Victoria – Swan Lake
Jane Shin – NDP, Burnaby – Lougheed
Harry Bains – NDP, Surrey – Newton
Katrine Conroy – Kootenay West
Shane Simpson – Vancouver – Hastings
The BC Liberals stuck to their talking points; however, these NDP MLAs made clear on the issues, among them that a high school diploma for adults is not “still” free in the K-12 system. Rather, these adult programs in the K-12 system are either non-existent in many jurisdictions or are in the process of being cut from school board budgets due to steep reductions in funding.
To read more, link to Hansard (11:00 – 12:00) period.
http://www.leg.bc.ca/hansard/40th4th/20150504am-House-Blues.htm
Adult Basic Education is a Basic Right 
I appreciated that Kathy Corrigan and her fellow Opposition MLAs brought this important issue to the House for debate.
It was clear that many in government do not understand (or will not admit) that 1) upgrading can still be a requirement for people with a high school diploma, and 2) to qualify for the AUG you basically have to be below the poverty line, and everyone else is expected to come up with $1600 per semester for their schooling–for high school equivalency courses.
I particularly liked Shane Simpson’s points about who does and does not qualify for funding. He reminded everyone that people who make $12 an hour ($15 an hour if you are a single parent with kids) are considered “too financially well-off” to qualify for free tuition. It just makes me shake my head. How out of touch are the people who make these policies?
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Reblogged this on Melinda's Education Blog and commented:
Here is a link to the Hansard of yesterday’s Legislature Debate about ABE. It was frustrating to see the lack of understanding by our governmental policy-makers, but the Opposition MLAs made many good points about who accesses ABE and upgrading, and why the Adult Upgrading Grant is insufficient in reducing barriers to education for vulnerable groups.
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