FREDERICTON (GNB) – The provincial government plans to invest $609,446,000 in post-secondary education, training and labour in 2013-14. This figure was contained in budget estimates released by Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour Danny Soucy.

"Our government recognized the importance of post-secondary education and skills training,” said Soucy. “That is why our department was able to maintain spending levels from the previous year. Our primary goal was to ensure that we can continue to deliver quality services to clients in a timely manner and, further, that we are able to continue to foster an educated and productive population by providing leadership, programs and services."

Measures targeted to post-secondary education this year include:

●    maintaining the level of funding for New Brunswick's public universities and colleges;
●    increasing the New Brunswick Bursary program to $130 per week from $90 per week;
●    continuing last year's commitment to fund 72 second-year seats at the New Brunswick Community College and the Collège communautaire du Nouveau-Brunswick; and
●    providing $6.2 million as part of a five-year $80-million innovation strategy to strengthen research activities in universities and colleges.
 
"To help finance the growing demands of public post-secondary education, a $150-tuition increase for community college students has been approved by the respective boards of governors," said Soucy. "I have also asked universities to limit their tuition increase to $150. In challenging economic times, we need everybody to do their part."
 
The following fee is being increased:

●    block training registration, $600 per block, effective Aug. 1.

"Within the Department of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour, budgeted savings of $1.643 million for the 2013-14 fiscal year in departmental expenditures were realized to help meet our government's overall budget objectives," the minister said.
 

30-04-13