CUPE is hosting an “Education North” forum this evening to highlight education shortfalls in Northern BC.
The College of New Caledonia is facing a 2.8 million dollar budget shortfall; deep and painful cuts will be announced Friday.
“This is extremely devastating for the North.” CUPE BC President Mark Hancock said “We are extracting resources out of the North on a regular basis and the good people that live up there are having less and less options as far as education goes. It’s not right.”
He says the Burn’s Lake campus will be the hardest hit, where 20% of CUPE members have received layoff notices.
“This is the first step; this is about talking about it.” Hancock said “I know that our leadership up there and folks associated with the college have been talking to members on city councils to try to get them to apply some pressure.”
Hancock added that the forum won’t be solely focusing on post secondary funding issues, as K-12 funding has been hurting as well.
The forum takes place at the CNC Gathering Place at 5pm; speakers including Mark Hancock begin at 6pm