Budget Bulletin: Meaning For Post-Secondary Education
Overall grants to Nova Scotia's post-secondary education institutions will increase in this year's budget.
Total operating grants to universities will increase by $4 million to $196.4 million, recognizing the role of universities in supporting Nova Scotia's innovation, research, and development infrastructure.
This is the third consecutive year of increases to university funding, as the government of Nova Scotia moves toward the target recommended by the Nova Scotia Council on Higher Education. The increase should allow Nova Scotia universities to maintain academic services to students and keep tuition increases to a minimum.
Capital grants for universities will remain constant at $4.8 million. This will include funding for the completion of the Faculty of Arts and Social Science building at Dalhousie University and for the most pressing capital needs of the province's other universities.
The operating grants for the Nova Scotia Community College will increase $2.5 million to cover increasing costs and position the college to meet student demands for its programs.
The Collège de l'Acadie and Université Sainte-Anne will be expected to start sharing administrative services in 2000-01 to achieve a reduction of $500,000. This will allow for more efficient delivery of post-secondary training and education programs for Acadian and Francophone Nova Scotians.
The Department of Education also anticipates administrative savings of $500,000 through the restructuring of the Nova Scotia Council on Higher Education.
The 2000-01 budget for basic student assistance will be maintained, and eligibility criteria will not be changed. Funding for a maximum of 30 months of interest relief for all students with loans will also continue.
However, the current loan remission program will be discontinued in 2000-01. The budget will cover loan remission grants for students who meet the eligibility criteria and applied for student loans by March 31, 2000.
NOTE: For other 2000-01 budget information, visit the Department of Finance website at www.gov.ns.ca/finance .