Education
Adult learning
BC NDP
Increase eligibility for the BC Access Grant.
BC Liberals
- Create a Work Experience for Students programme with the federal govt.
- Streamline registrations and credentialing for apprenticeship training.
- Bring trades competency into the K-12 system.
- Have secondary school trades programme begin credentialling earlier.
Class size & composition
Funding for public education
Meal programmes
Mental health and schools
BC NDP
Invest in mental health supports for students and staff.
BC Liberals
Increase mental health supports in public secondary schools, such as registered psychiatric nurses.
BC Greens
Provide $24 million in new funding to enhance the number of counsellors in schools, starting in the current school year.
New schools
BC Liberals
Build new schools throughout the province, and expand new school construction in areas with rapid population growth.
Post-secondary
BC NDP
Conduct a funding review of post-secondary education operating grants to make sure post-secondary institutions are aligned for economic recovery and student success.
BC Greens
Double the funding for the BC Access Grant to help support post-secondary part-time students and those enrolled in multi-year programs.
Racism and reconciliation
BC Greens
Develop and implement a province-wide plan to address racism in schools, and commit to additional, ongoing funding to deepen the work of reconciliation and Indigenous education across K-12.
School infrastructure
BC NDP
- Expand the Playground Fund to more schools.
- Invest in school infrastructure focusing on meeting seismic requirements and climate change and energy efficiency standards.
BC Liberals
Upgrade K-12 facilities and ensure they are properly equipped.
Schools and COVID
BC Liberals
- Implement a province-wide framework for hybrid and online learning options.
- Promote distance learning programmes.
- Restore $12 million of funding for Independent Distributed Learning programmes.
BC Greens
- Fund operating grants for school districts at the same level as 2019/2020, so that lower enrolment during COVID doesn't result in less funding.
- Maintain additional COVID funding for PPE & online learning.
- Give every school the resources to develop remote & hybrid learning options.
School tuition
BC NDP
- Strengthen existing Tuition Fee Limit Policy to make sure institutions don't increase fees beyond prescribed limits.
- Expand tuition waivers to all former youth in care, regardless of age.
BC Liberals
Adopt the disclosure-requirements of the UK Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills, to ensure all BC students know, before they register, the total costs of a programme, the graduation rate, and employment rate.
Special learning needs
BC Liberals
- Increase supports and earlier assessments for identifying learning needs.
- Provide school instruction that meets diverse learning needs.