As students prepare to head back to school next week, most people can imagine that they will be focused on studying and writing papers. However, today's students also face a new reality during the academic year: work.
In 2011, 60 per cent of Canadian students worked an average of 18 hours per week. And that trend may even be on the rise: according to a recent poll by CIBC, a full 73 per cent of students report not having made enough during the summer to cover the costs they face during the school year. These students need to find other funds to assist them in paying for school -- as we can see, this is often done by taking on employment throughout the academic year.
Earning some extra money while in school helps cover the shortfalls that student financial aid and summer earnings don't. Working during school does have its advantages, such as gaining valuable experience, establishing a strong work ethic and, of course, providing an additional source of income. With that said, work, especially too much of it, can have a demonstrably negative impact on students' lives. Working students are often forced to choose between their studies and their shifts; further to this, students must also take care to ensure their own mental health, allotting time to devote to themselves. Many students are adequately able to balance their commitments, and they are all the stronger for it.
Students should be encouraged to contribute to the costs of their education. However, the exact opposite is true for those students who must rely on government student financial aid. Currently, federal student loan policy actually punishes students, should they work 'too much'. What exactly do I mean?
During the summer, when most students are applying for their financial assistance, they are forced to estimate how much money they will make during the academic year. Should the student declare amounts which equal out to more than $100 per week of study, the amounts over and above that threshold are withheld from their financial aid packages, dollar for dollar. Essentially, the government is penalizing students for working. Clearly, this policy is wholly unfair to those who seek to work to cover unmet need or gain valuable work experience. And with many students on financial aid coming from low-income backgrounds, we can begin to see that this policy affects an already-vulnerable portion of the student population.
The current student loan regime forces students to make estimations as to their earnings. And with that comes a number of questions students must ask themselves: how many hours am I going to get at the part-time job I don't yet have? What happens if I obtain a coveted co-operative education position, with accompanying pay? Should I work at all, if it will impact my student loan? How else will I get the money I need for school?
The result of this guesswork? Some students actually find themselves penalized by the government, because they ended up working more hours than they thought they would.
By allowing students to not worry about earning 'too much' while studying, the federal government can help alleviate some of the financial pressures students face. With no increases to federal student loan limits in nearly 10 years, working while studying is the new reality for Canadian students. Students are not asking for a hand out -- instead, we are asking for a hand up.
It is almost unfathomable that the federal government chooses to punish students for working. In an era where students are encouraged to be financially responsible, manage their debt loads, and attempt to gain valuable work experience, it is clear that this policy is in need of severe reform.
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