VICTORIA—The B.C. Liberal government must restore free Adult Basic Education (ABE) at B.C.’s community colleges, New Democrat Advanced Education critic Rob Fleming said today.

“When the Campbell government introduced tuition fees for students taking ABE courses, they created a huge disincentive for adult learners to get a basic education,” said Fleming. “And their decision to jack up fees for these programs has resulted in a massive drop in enrolment levels.”


Adult Basic Education is a program for B.C. adults who do not currently have a high school diploma or who have completed high school but need to upgrade their skills prior to starting post-secondary studies. Fleming noted that 71 percent of ABE students have income levels that put them below the poverty line, making fees a prohibitive barrier to enrolling in ABE.

“The Premier says he wants B.C. to be the best-educated and most literate jurisdiction in Canada,” said Fleming. “Yet the B.C. Liberal government has made it extremely difficult for adults who want to improve their literacy skills or upgrade their skills toward a college degree by charging fees for ABE.

“In Estimates debate this spring, Advanced Education Minister Murray Coell said that it was up to the government to decide whether to eliminate fees for ABE, at a cost of $4 million. Today, I am calling on the Premier to show some leadership and direct Mr. Coell to eliminate all fees for adult basic education,” said Fleming.

Fleming tabled a motion in the B.C. legislature this week, encouraging the Campbell government to make the change: Be it resolved that the government support individuals pursuing education and becoming a part of B.C.’s skilled workforce by eliminating tuition and ancillary fees for adult basic education (ABE) programs and fully funding ABE programs at BC’s public post-secondary education institutions.