Local students organized a march to show their displeasure over the rising cost of tuition and the proroguing of the provincial legislature.
University of Guelph students were expected to gather today (Nov. 1) at 4:30 p.m. on campus to hear speeches before walking to local MPP Liz Sandals’ office to unveil their “access denied wall.” The wall represents barriers preventing potential students from attending post-secondary education, a news release said.
The march, organized by the Guelph Student Mobilization Committee, was designed to tell the provincial government that despite its recent prorogue, action is needed to alleviate student debt and expand access to high-quality public education that’s affordable, it said.
High tuition fees and heavy debt loads affect the accessibility of post-secondary education, creating barriers for low-income and marginalized students, it said.
The province’s 30 per cent tuition grant for students whose parents earn less than a certain amount leaves out more than two- thirds of Ontario students, including part-time, graduate and international students and students not dependant on parents, it said.
The Guelph Student Mobilization Committee is made up of University of Guelph students, workers and community members. It was formed in the spring of 2012 to work in solidarity with the Quebec student strike.