1. January 10, 2007Presented by A. Rounce1 Post-Secondary Education in Saskatchewan Presented to the Citizen Consensus Forum in Regina, SK – Jan. 10, 2007

2. January 10, 2007 Presented by A. Rounce 2 Context: Post-Secondary Education (PSE) in Saskatchewan Importance of PSE PSE System in Saskatchewan 1. Participation in PSE Who participates? Are there barriers to participation? 2. Employment and PSE Benefits of pse 3. Supports for PSE Financing and providing non-financial supports for PSE

3. January 10, 2007 Presented by A. Rounce 3 Importance of Post-Secondary Education Participation in the resource-based and knowledge economies Increasing demand for post-secondary graduates in Saskatchewan Benefits to the individual Benefits to society

4. January 10, 2007 Presented by A. Rounce 4 PSE System in Saskatchewan Publicly-funded system: Eleven Regional Colleges Saskatchewan Institute of Applied Science and Technology (SIAST) with four campuses Universities, along with Federated Colleges Aboriginal institutions, such as Dumont Technical Institute and Saskatchewan Indian Institutes of Technology Privately-funded Institutions: Private Vocational Schools

5. January 10, 2007 Presented by A. Rounce 5 Publicly-Funded PSE System in Saskatchewan I Students with diverse backgrounds From all over the province and all ages “Sequential” and “non-sequential” In very diverse programs Adult Basic Education Apprenticeships in 37 trades Certificates in Office Education, Business Degrees in Indigenous Studies, Biochemistry, Public Administration, Nursing, Engineering, Dentistry, Law, Veterinary Medicine

6. January 10, 2007 Presented by A. Rounce 6 Publicly-Funded PSE System in Saskatchewan II Enrolments in the publicly-funded system (2004-05) Just under 32,000 in degree programs ~5,500 in certificates/diplomas ~6,800 apprentices ~5,200 in Adult Basic Education

7. January 10, 2007 Presented by A. Rounce 7 Publicly-Funded PSE System in Saskatchewan III Graduates in the publicly-funded system (2004-05) Just under 5,200 in degree programs ~4,900 in certificates/diplomas ~1,100 apprentices received journeyperson status ~3,300 in Adult Basic Education

8. January 10, 2007 Presented by A. Rounce 8 Publicly-Funded PSE System in Saskatchewan IV Government support for public post-secondary education (2005-06 financial results) Post-Secondary Operating funds Research Capital (infrastructure) Totaled $519 million for 2005-06 Training programs $35 million Student supports $51 million

9. January 10, 2007 Presented by A. Rounce 9 1. Exploring Barriers to Post- Secondary Education Factors influencing participation include: Parents Expectations Education levels Income Knowledge of costs and funding options Academic achievement and preparation Grades Part-time work Extra-curricular activities Influence of peers

10. January 10, 2007 Presented by A. Rounce 10 Post-Secondary Participation and Parental Education More parental education increases the likelihood children will go on Any post- secondary UniversityCollege/ CEGEP Other post- secondary Parental Educational Attainment %% Less than high school 52143116 High school diploma 61213318 Some PSE 73283619 PS certificate/diploma 83454018 Source: Lambert et al, using the Youth in Transition Survey, 2004

11. January 10, 2007 Presented by A. Rounce 11 Academic Performance and University Participation Average entering grades have increased over the last decade

12. January 10, 2007 Presented by A. Rounce 12 Post-Secondary Participation and Continuation cont’d Other factors influencing participation include: Distance from post-secondary institution Saskatchewan’s rural populations Challenges of leaving home communities Family status Single parents Children of single parents Aboriginal status Multiple challenges Disabilities

13. January 10, 2007 Presented by A. Rounce 13 Factors Influencing Completion of Post-Secondary Education Financial barriers Access to on-going sources of funding Part-time/full-time employment Student financial assistance Financial assistance for Aboriginal students Adapting to financial challenges Housing, living expenses, transportation costs Adjustment/adaptation barriers

14. January 10, 2007 Presented by A. Rounce 14 Participation In PSE: Intentions of Saskatchewan Youth

15. January 10, 2007 Presented by A. Rounce 15 Why Youth Don’t Plan To Go On The main reasons Grade 12 students were not planning to attend a post-secondary institution in the next year were: 1. Undecided (21%) 2. Cost of Education (19%) 3. Work Opportunities (16%) 4. Planning to Travel (13%) 5. No Interest in Further Study (10%) Source: 2003 High School Intentions Survey

16. January 10, 2007 Presented by A. Rounce 16 2. Employment and Post- Secondary Education PS graduates spend less time unemployed PS graduates tend to earn increased salaries compared with high school graduates PS graduates are more likely to access lifelong learning, and stay competitive

17. January 10, 2007 Presented by A. Rounce 17 Labour Market Demand for Post- Secondary Graduates

18. January 10, 2007 Presented by A. Rounce 18 3. Supporting PSE Opportunities in Our Future Costs of post-secondary education Financing post-secondary education Financial and non-financial contributions: students their families employers provincial government federal government.

19. January 10, 2007 Presented by A. Rounce 19 Education Costs: Tuition Fees for Post-Secondary Education

20. January 10, 2007 Presented by A. Rounce 20 Other Education Costs Other costs include accommodation, transportation, food, and other necessities both for those living away from home and with families. For many, living expenses exceed their direct educational costs

21. January 10, 2007 Presented by A. Rounce 21 Benefits of Post-Secondary Education Personal benefits: “rates of return” Graduates of most post-secondary programs will earn more than they would with a high school diploma or less Shorter periods of unemployment PSE as a good personal investment Societal benefits Greater community involvement and participation Increasing health status Lower crime rates Higher levels of funding contributed to the public purse

22. January 10, 2007 Presented by A. Rounce 22 Meeting Educational Costs Saskatchewan post-secondary graduates report three main sources of funding: Employment earnings Government and Private Student loans Parental/family support Nearly half (48%) of Saskatchewan graduates relied on student loans to support their post- secondary education (NGS 2002)

23. January 10, 2007 Presented by A. Rounce 23 Student Financial Assistance: Student Loans In 2005-06, Saskatchewan provided $55 million in Student Loan assistance to ~15,100 students (total: $134M with federal funding) Over half of provincial funds was provided as non-repayable bursaries and/or grants There are students with “unmet need” – those whose needs are assessed as higher than the amounts they receive in loan and bursary.

24. January 10, 2007 Presented by A. Rounce 24 Student Financial Assistance: Student Debt Levels The majority of students who borrow leave their programs with less than $20,000 in government student loan debt.

25. January 10, 2007 Presented by A. Rounce 25 Manageability of Debt Manageable debt could be largely context-specific and dependent both on amount of debt, family status, and income levels Saskatchewan students in the first 170 weeks of post-secondary study face a maximum of $200 per week in repayable debt.

26. January 10, 2007 Presented by A. Rounce 26 Other Sources of Financial Support Private student loans/lines of credit Saskatchewan students compared with students in other provinces Bursaries, scholarships, grants Training allowances Provincial Training Allowance (PTA) Part-time/Full-time/Co-op/Summer work Family (parent/spousal) support Support from employers Federal government funding for First Nations students