Students Kick Off Provincial Government Advocacy Week with Report: "Innovating Accessibility and Affordability: Improving Nova Scotia's Post-Secondary System"

For Immediate Release

Halifax, NS – Today, student leaders from across the province arrived in Halifax to kick off the annual Student Advocacy Week. The week began with the release of the report “Innovating Accessibility and Affordability: Improving Nova Scotia’s Post-Secondary System”, which presents well-researched and realistic student recommendations to enhance post-secondary education in the province. Students will be meeting with MLA’s and sector decision makers throughout the week to present the report and encourage Government to take action.

“Advocacy week is an opportunity for student leaders to enact meaningful change for the students they represent. Government need not guess what the issues facing students are, rather we are here saying ‘these are the problems and here are well-researched, calculated solutions to those problems,’” said Annie Sirois, Chair of StudentsNS.

Students will be bringing forward the recommendations from the report, which would improve the financial aid system, the international student experience, student employment, mental health, and civic engagement.

“Our recommendations for Government provide solutions to everyday problems faced by students” said Sam Nixon, Vice-Chair of StudentsNS. “This year, we hope Government will address recurring student concerns, such as the lack of immediate health care coverage for international students and the need for increased non-repayable grants in the financial aid system.”

StudentsNS believes that meeting and working collaboratively with Government is the most effective way to address student issues and improve post-secondary education in the province. Student Advocacy Week is the cornerstone of the work StudentsNS does to ensure post-secondary education remains affordable, accessible, high quality, and respects the student voice in the province.

Read the full report here: http://bit.ly/2zgYoeQ or at studentsns.ca/research/reports

For more information, contact:
Tristan Bray, Executive Director
director@studentsns.ca
403-837-9967