Thank you, Mr. Speaker. The Department of Education is in the process of improving student financial assistance. That is a good thing. I have not heard anything about improving support for students with disabilities. These students, especially those with learning disabilities, cannot compete with high school graduates to get into many colleges or universities. Students with disabilities often have to attend specialized schools that are oriented toward developing their specific gift, art, carving, writing, whatever it may be. Tuition fees are usually higher than they would be at other schools. Private schools are another option. Classes are smaller and students can get one-on-one attention, but that comes at a price that they often cannot afford.
Maybe we ignore the situation that adults with learning disabilities often face. Most, if not all, live on income support and have no way to earn and save the money they need to even attempt going to a school after high school. The luckiest ones have families that support them, but even so, adult students with disabilities face challenges most of us can’t even imagine. For most, a part-time job to help get through school is just a dream.
Our Student Financial Assistance Program does include a disability grant. It is ironic that despite our system being more generous than most for all students, other jurisdictions offer more flexible support for students with disabilities. A typical student with a disability would look at the funding options here and quickly realize that schooling down south is out of reach. Instead some stay here and rely on income support that probably costs this government $25,000 a year.
Instead we should increase student financial assistance for students with permanent disabilities. In the past three years, SFA has funded four, five, and eight of these students per year. I wonder how many do not bother applying. This issue was raised to our constituency office through Lillian Crook, who is an avid and tireless activist on behalf of persons with disabilities. I believe it is a real concern and that we do fail our young people who have disabilities by not providing more incentive for them to achieve whatever potential they can through additional education.
I believe that when ECE is looking at student financial assistance, this is an area that needs to be looked at separately from SFA in general and it needs to be stepped up. I think the long term will prove that the more that we invest in these young people, the less they will rely on us in the future.
Thank you, Mrs. Groenewegen. The honourable Member for Range Lake, Mr. Dolynny.
