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<\/a>\u201cWe just decided to bring [the campaigns] together, because, in the end, we realized that all of these issues come down to funding,\u201d says Niikoi. \u201cIf institutions are not funded properly it leads to them over-relying on international students, and the government needs to do better in actually funding schools. So, the campaign was just bringing together these two campaigns, but then going to students and being like, \u2018It is time for you guys to rise up now and come together and ask the government for funding,\u2019 because we\u2019re in a time where things are unaffordable, and students need to also speak up for themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
Niikoi says that post-secondary institutions started to become overly reliant on international student fees around the time that the government announced a strategy to bring in more international students. This, coupled with high tuition and a $29,000 average of student debt, has resulted in a poor financial climate for students.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was the announcement of an international education strategy, in around 2012, we realized that there is less and less funding for schools,\u201d she says. \u201cThat led to more schools deciding to find ways to find the money and because of the international education strategy, where BC was looking to bring more international students in. That was where the funding issues started happening, that\u2019s when schools started relying on international students for more money.\u201d<\/p>\n
According to the BCFS, in 2000, the provincial government provided 68 percent of operating costs to post-secondary institutions, but that has since dropped to 40 percent.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think what we would like to see is the government take on the work of funding institutions because this is an issue that is affecting students,\u201d says Niikoi. \u201cAnd if we are an essential part of the workforce, and we are needed in the next few years for the workforce, putting a barrier such as unaffordable education is not the right way to go about it\u2026 The government needs to step up and then get to it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Niikoi wants to see students get involved with the campaign and share their stories. She believes that students need to advocate for themselves before the situation worsens.<\/p>\n
\u201cStudents should get involved because this current issue is something that is affecting all of them,\u201d says Niikoi. \u201cBecause right now, students are at the forefront of the issues that are happening. We\u2019re not only burdened with an affordability crisis, we\u2019re also burdened with school and tuition costs. So, students need to come together and speak up because now more than ever, things are getting worse.\u201d<\/p>\n
Niikoi says that BCFS won\u2019t stop pushing for change until the desired outcome is reached.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s a running thing all year round,\u201d she says. \u201cWe\u2019re still doing action, we\u2019re still doing work regardless of when they join. Because, until we get what we asked for from the Rise Up campaign, which is the cap on international student tuition, which is more grants for students so they don\u2019t leave school in debt, and also the funding for the institutions… If none of that has happened this campaign is still going to keep going because it is a continuous issue. We\u2019re going to keep fighting for students.\u201d<\/p>\n