Mad Hatter Page 4

 

"With the grim employment picture,
how aré young people supposed to pay
for higher education? And even if

entee they can attend because all
three universities are so over-
crowded they have had to impose
enrolment caps. No matter how you

comes up dead last across Canada.”

"Statistics show that only four per
cent of university graduates are

for other groups is running at about
12 per cent. And the trend toward
professional and technological jobs
will continue in the future. Other
provinces recognize this and enrol-
ments are up across the country
because it is obvious Canada will

if we are to compete economically or
intellectually in the space age.

"Only in B.C. are enrolments down.

Is it fair for government to condemn
B.C.'s young people to a lifetime of
struggling for a decent existence as
untrained laborers? Of course young
people can leave the province to get

B.C.'s ability to graduate
professionals has been steadily
eroded for years according to Walker.
"Over the past decade B.C. employers
have had to import 42,000 university
-|graduates from other provinces and
other countries because B.C.'s post-
secondary system produces enough
graduates in only two professions,
law and nursing.

"B.C.'s attitude toward higher
education defies logic," says Walker.

 

they have the money there is no guar-

assess post-secondary education, B.C.

opportunities. I hope the message
Walker says he is familiar with gets through quickly, because even
claims that having a university once it is received the turnaround
degree is not important because theratime for us to get back in step will
are no jobs anyway, an argument he take years.
refers to as spurious.

unemployed while the national average

have to improve its education standing

an education but is that what we want

"Tt is no coincidence that the nations
exhibiting the best economic perfor-

mance are the ones with the highest
levels of education. The correct
course would appear obvious but since
it is not being followed we have to
ensure that the message to Victoria
is loud and clear. It is penny wise
and pound foolish to deny British
Columbiars access to educational

An excerpt from Simon Fraser Week,
October 18, 1984.

;
Squamish Project

A unique training program is being
offered to the native peoples of
British Columbia, and instead of
having to come to the lower mainland
for classes, Douglas College has
taken those classes to them.

The Douglas College early Childhood
Education (ECE) Squamish Project is
an "unqualified success", says
program coordinator Silvia McFadyen
Jones.

"We've had absolutely no attrition
and there was completely full atten-
dance throughout", McFadyen Jones
said.

A total of 13 students registered in
the program with funding assistance
from the federal government, Douglas
College, and the bands themselves.

Squamish was chosen as the centre for
the program because a majority of
students live in the region. Other
communities represented were Bella
Coola, Lillooet, Mount Currie,
Musqueam and Sechelt.