University calls
Brooks Secondary School graduates will have the opportunity to study at Vancouver Island University (VIU) without paying tuition fees, City of Powell River Council has been told.
Councillor Jim Palm wanted to make a good news announcement on Powell River’s educational front, he said, during a recent council meeting.
“As you know, we do a terrific job here locally of dual-track programming, which enables our grade 12s to take Vancouver Island University local campus programs at no cost as far as tuition is concerned,” Palm said. “We have upped the ante because of a change by the ministry of education in the province. It will now allow us to give free tuition on the academic side of things.” The dual-track programs provide trades training for students.
Palm said graduates from Brooks who are still 19 years of age as of July 1 can attend the local VIU campus and take up to four academic courses per term, or a total of eight for the year. He said that in the case of some graduates, up to two years’ tuition-free grace could be given.
Palm said that amounts to a $4,000 saving in tuition for a school year.
“They can get their first year of education, those eight courses, free of charge after they graduate from Brooks,” he said. “That’s a fantastic advancement...It’s great news for our community and its great news for our students. The young people, hopefully, will stay, be able to learn here and save a great deal of money by living at home, with free tuition and not having to pay for transportation costs.”
