Need your GED? It's now free to take your high school equivalency test

The Nova Scotia government has eliminated the fee needed to get a general education diploma (GED) in the province.

Previously, students were required to cover about 60 per cent of the cost of a test, while the province handled the remaining 40 per cent.

It would cost students about $67 to take all five tests offered through the program, even with the government's contribution.

AlisonO'Handley, executive director of the Dartmouth Learning Network, said the organization is very excited about the change.

"It's just one small, extra barrier for our learners that we are overcoming," she said Tuesday.

O'Handley's organization helps people get their GED, among other things. O'Handley said the fee was as much a psychological barrier as it was financial.

"There is a lot of intimidation and a lot of confidence that needs to be built. That fee is a deterrent for people to try to write the test," she said in a phone interview.

Boost to independence

If studentsdoubt their ability to pass on the first go, theymight delay, rather than pay over and over. Now, O'Handley hopes people will feel more confident to try it out and she thinks most will surprise themselves by passing the first time.

"It helps them advance in their career or trade, or it might help them access the workforce for the first time," she said.

"It's a great opportunity for people to do better for themselves, become more independent and contribute more to society."

In 2015, the government spent $52,000 for testing and scoring.The government said eliminating the fee means it expects to spend $106,000 a year. That would cover the full cost of testing and scoring, plus an expected increase in people taking the test.

"Last year, almost 550 Nova Scotians who didn't graduate high school took the initiative to build a better life for themselves and their families by earning their GED," Kelly Regan, the minister for labour and advanced education, said in a press release.

"We're removing barriers for even more adults who want to continue their studies, connect to the workforce or find better work opportunities."

• How to take the GED test