Ontario's financial fate could mirror that of Greece according to articles in both the
Globe & Mail and
Macleans. Hardly an enviable comparison! With a debt of $230 billion now in place the government sought advice through the Commission on the Reform of Ontario's Public Services. The
Drummond Report, as its become known because Don Drummond was chairperson, was made public last month.
One of the 20 chapters in the extensive report was dedicated to post-secondary education (PSE). A total of 30 recommendations for PSE are made which are grouped into the following seven categories:
- Contain government funding and institutional expenses;
- Use differentiation to improve post-secondary quality and achieve financial sustainability;
- Encourage and reward quality;
- Revise research funding structures;
- Maintain the current overall cap on tuition-fee increases, but simplify the framework;
- Re-evaluate student financial assistance; and
- Generate cost efficiencies through measures such as integrating administrative and back-office functions.
It is encouraging to see the report acknowledge the important role PSE plays in Ontario and that resources are required to address five critical challenges that lie ahead, such as the need to "educate a rising share of the population; help equalize economic and social outcomes across the population; provide an important component of lifelong learning; be an engine of innovation; and deliver quality education in an efficient manner."
Responses to the report continue to be published. Here are links to responses to four prominent PSE related groups:
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