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College of the Rockies Continues to Offer Tuition-Free Adult Basic Education

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College of the Rockies’ Vice-President, Education Stan Chung encourages adult learners to take advantage of tuition-free adult upgrading courses in September.

In response to planned changes to program funding by the provincial government, College of the Rockies reassures students that they will continue to offer tuition-free adult basic education (ABE) for the January 2015 semester.

The Province announced that starting January 1, 2015, public post-secondary institutions will no longer be mandated to offer adult upgrading courses, including English Language Training, tuition-free.  Base funding was provided to the institutions to cover the costs of the delivery of these programs.

“I assure all of our current and upcoming students that the ABE program will continue to be tuition-free for the January semester.  Our current tuition fees were approved by the Board of Governors and we will uphold those approved fees at least until the end of the academic year,” advises College of the Rockies Vice President, Education Stan Chung.

With ABE being offered at the Cranbrook, Creston, Invermere, Golden and Fernie campuses, this program has the potential to impact the lives of many individuals throughout the East Kootenay region.

College of the Rockies’ student Candus Johnston, a single mother of two children and living with a permanent disability, came to the College to upgrade her grade 12 English.  The support she received while in her ABE program gave her the confidence to continue her education.  She is currently an honours student in the College’s Human Service Worker program and plans to go on to obtain a Bachelor of Social Work degree.

“Adult basic education is critical programming that offers students the opportunity to transition back into the educational system and to prepare for further studies,” Chung continues. “Over the coming months we will evaluate how these funding changes may impact our ability to continue to offer this valuable program to our students tuition-free.”

Students interested in adult basic education still have time to enroll for January, as many courses still have seats available.

Learn more about College of the Rockies’ adult basic education programming at cotr.ca/abe