Editorial got it wrong

Letter to the editor, The Daily Gleaner

Published: June 15, 2017

The June 3 editorial, headlined "Sliding scale solves issue", called for a sliding scale to the Tuition Access Bursary (TAB) that the government first announced in April 2016. 

However, in February 2017 the government introduced the Tuition Relief for the Middle Class (TRMC), which the Gleaner covered on the front page of their February 24 edition. The TRMC is, in fact, the sliding scale for which the editorial called. 

That this editorial could be published without due diligence to proper research and fact-checking is entire irresponsible of the Daily Gleaner. It is also a perfect example of why New Brunswick media needs journalists who are well-informed and up-to-date on postsecondary education issues in the province. Postsecondary education is one of the largest budgets for the provincial government and a key driver in the economy. This sector, and the more than 10,000 college and university students in the City of Fredericton, deserve consistent and correct coverage by local media. 

For New Brunswick students who may have been confused by this editorial, please note: the tuition grant programs do include a sliding scale—it's called the Tuition Relief for the Middle Class. 

Brianna Workman

Vice-President Education, St. Thomas University Students' Union

Media Contact: Brianna Workman, Vice-President Education, STUSU, su_vped@stu.ca, 506-452-0627.