University of the Fraser Valley feels over-enrolment crunch

ABBOTSFORD (NEWS1130) – Enrollment at the University of the Fraser Valley has sky-rocketed in recent years, pushing some of their campuses to be at 130 per cent capacity.
    
As students across the province are getting ready to hit the books after Labour Day, over 3,000 students at UFV are still waiting to get into classes.  
    
Katie Morochi with the Canadian Federation of Students says it is up to the province to provide funding so students have access to quality education.

“Students believe that provincial governments’ funding is not there as it has been in the past, and it’s not keeping up with rates of inflation and student enrollment increases. There’s no such thing as too much enrollment.”

Morochi went on to say if BC wants to have a skilled labour force, the government must invest in education.

A major problem for students when institutions are overcapacity is that they have trouble getting into classes they’re required to take. Which in turn forces them to pay for another year of school in order to graduate.

The Fraser Valley region is the fastest growing area in BC which only adds to space availability issues at the local post secondary institution.

Advanced Education Minister Naomi Yamamoto says post secondary funding has gone up but schools have to be clear up where the priorities are.

“Whether it’s in the trades or in the academic area where we know there is a skill shortage, we’ve been very clear about our direction to our institutions all over the province”

She says the government has provided a clear indication of priorities in terms of what skills are needed for post secondary students. She urges students to look at schools where classes aren’t full.

“I’m not entirely sure where some of the wait lists are, but I can tell you there are areas of the province, institutions in the province where they would gladly take students from outside the area.”