Information released by Statistics Canada today shows that Saskatchewan experienced the most significant decline in university enrollment of all Canadian provinces. Total enrollment dropped by 4.7% between 2007-08 and 2008-09, with part-time enrollment plummeting 55.8%.

"The Wall government has driven up the cost of tuition and presided over a significant increase in the cost of living," NDP Advanced Education and Employment Critic Cam Broten said. "When students and their families are forced to pay a lot more, it's not surprising that many students simply can't afford to attend university."

The drop in university enrollment was not offset by an increase in full-time employment among young people. In fact, fewer young people had full-time jobs during the 2008-09 academic year compared to the previous academic year.

"The most fundamental job of a government is to build a better future. But under the Wall government, fewer people are attending university and fewer young people have full-time jobs while the cost of living continues to increase," Broten said. "Rather than ensuring a brighter future for all Saskatchewan people, the Wall government is squandering our province's future."