Ministry of Advanced Education & Labour Market Development Honourable Moira Stilwell
TAN : Education is vital to our future economic and social development, enabling growth in a strong democracy. How would you describe BC’s position on this key issue?
• The Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development plays a vital role in shaping the future of British Columbia.
• Our post secondary education and training system, along with our immigration and labour market development programs, helps British Columbians develop the knowledge, skills and creativity needed to compete in the global knowledge economy and ensure prosperity for generations to come.
• To fulfill our Government’s great goal of becoming the best-educated, most literate jurisdiction on the continent, we will continue to focus on providing excellent post-secondary education opportunities for our citizens.
• We must also ensure that the programs and services we provide will meet the changing labour market needs of our economy, realizing the full potential of British Columbians, both those who have been here for generations, and those who have recently joined us.
• Since 2001, our Government has made unprecedented investments to support education for adults in British Columbia – almost $20 billion in post-secondary education.
• We have undertaken the largest post-secondary expansion in history, seen the creation of seven new universities, and expanded education and training spaces to their highest levels ever — 36,000 new spaces since 2001, with a particular focus on trades and professions in great demand.
• We continue to be committed to maintaining a system of accessible and affordable post secondary education.
TAN :We believe an approach to education at the community level is essential. Do you believe BC is making progress in this area?
• Since 2001, the Ministry of Advanced Education and Labour Market Development has approved or given consent to more than 290 new undergraduate and graduate degree programs at public and private post-secondary institutions across the province.
• New universities, new degrees and expanded campuses are providing more choices, closer to home for B.C. students so they can get the training and skills they need to succeed.
• Our government has also created seven new universities to serve British Columbians – Thompson Rivers University; UBC-Okanagan; University of the Fraser Valley; Kwantlen Polytechnic University; Vancouver Island University; Capilano University; and the Emily Carr University of Art & Design.
• In 2009, the BC government and the federal government announced over $497 million for upgrades to every post-secondary campus in British Columbia, creating over 3,200 direct jobs and building and renewing campus infrastructure. The total investment in these projects is over $519 million including contributions from institutions.
TAN: The cost for student education is becoming more costly each year. Are there plans that address this?
• We have limited tuition increases at public institutions to the rate of inflation – 2 per cent since 2005 – to ensure post-secondary education in B.C. is affordable for both students and taxpayers.
• B.C.’s undergraduate tuition increase was less than the Canadian average for the fourth straight year – it went up 2 per cent, significantly less than the national average of 3.6 per cent.
• The expansion of B.C.’s post-secondary system with seven new universities provides students greater access and more choices, closer to home, giving our students the ability to reduce their living expenses while pursuing a post-secondary education.
TAN: Dedicated teachers nourish our present education system. What plans are in place for strengthening future growth and development in teachers?
• Our institutions’ highly qualified boards, senates and education councils carry out our mandate to ensure that B.C.post-secondary faculty are supported and provided opportunities for professional growth.
• Government’s almost $20 billion in B.C.’s post-secondary education sector has, in part, ensured that top quality work environment have been created for institutional faculty and staff.
• The post-secondary education system recognizes that high-quality faculty, who are leaders in their fields, directly relates to high-quality learning experiences for our students.
• We know that the dedicated and talented people teaching and working in our post secondary institutions have helped us create our world-class post-secondary system.
• We have supported the hard working people of our post-secondary system by increasing operating funding to post-secondary institutions by 55% since 2001.
• We want our public universities to have the resources they need for them to pursue their unique areas of excellence and in a way that provides better services for students.
• Working closely with our institutions, we will be exploring ways for them to unleash their creativity and thrive in an increasingly competitive market.
• We continue to act on our commitment to make B.C. post-secondary institutions shine in the global spotlight.
TAN: Are students in British Columbia receiving appropriate recognition and value? How can we improve on that?
• It is very important to us that B.C. students feel recognized and valued.
• That’s why we collect data from as many former students as we can about how they felt about their education experience.
• We share this information with institutions and the public. This year, for the first time, information from all of the 2009 student outcomes surveys were put in one report.
• From this survey, it’s clear our investments in post-secondary education are working. 94 per cent of baccalaureate graduates surveyed were satisfied or very satisfied with their education and 94 per cent of former diploma, associate degree, and certificate students reported the same satisfaction levels.
TAN: What message would you like to convey to students, teachers, and parents at the start of this new school term?
• I want students, teachers and parents to know that government is committed to building the best post-secondary system possible to study in, to work in and to send their kids to.
• It is why this government has invested almost $20 billion in post-secondary education since 2001. We want to ensure that the students of British Columbia have great schools across the province and that our world-class faculty have new classrooms, well-equipped laboratories and all the tools they need to provide world-class educations to our students.
• We know when government supports post-secondary education faculty to be leaders in their fields, this directly relates to high-quality learning experiences for B.C. students and a positive work environment for our teachers.
• New universities, new degrees and expanded campuses are providing more choices, closer to home for B.C. students so they can get the training and skills they need to succeed.
• As a mother of three, I know how we, as parents, want the very best for our children. I know that B.C.’s post-secondary system will give all our children the tools they need to have a successful future.
TAN; we thank you for your time and service you give to society The Afro News is honoured to have shared these moments with you .
Interview by Honore Gbedze
Biography
Dr. Moira Stilwell was elected MLA for Vancouver-Langara on May 12, 2009.
Minister Stilwell is a radiologist and nuclear medicine physician who has been working at BC Women’s Hospital for nearly a decade. Prior to being elected, Moira was head of nuclear medicine at St. Paul’s Hospital, Surrey Memorial Hospital, and Abbotsford Regional Hospital and Cancer Clinic. She was also the co-chair of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation 2020 Task Force. She previously worked at BC Women’s Hospital where she was co-medical director of the Breast Health Program and staff radiologist. She was a clinical assistant professor in the Department of Radiology in the Faculty of Medicine at University of British Columbia.
She is the past chair of the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation, BC/Yukon Chapter, has served on the board of the Canadian Breast Cancer Research Alliance, as well as on the BC Women’s Hospital Foundation Board.
