Several hundred students in Halifax traded in their pens for placards Wednesday to protest the rising cost of education across the country.

The Canadian Federation of Students organized the rally to demand free tuition. They say everyone has a right to education.

“Canada can afford free tuition, but it can't afford a situation where students owe our government $28 billion in debt,” said Charlotte Kiddell of the federation.

Students from across the country pressured universities and governments to reduce the cost of tuition on this National Day of Action.

“I am tired of being in debt,” said first-year student Jackie Semple. “I am already $10,000 in debt and I barely just started school.”

“We shouldn't have to choose between putting food on our tables and books on our shelve,” said another student.

In Fredericton, students gathered at the University of New Brunswick. The Gallant government announced free tuition for university students whose families make less than $60,000 a year.

For students at the Universite de Moncton, tuition costs are just over $5,600 a year and nearly $7,500 at Mount Allison University. At the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design, tuition is $6,360 compared to Acadia University at $7,700. And at the University of Prince Edward Island, tuition is $5,690 a year.

The Canadian Federation of Students says the average Canadian student graduates with $28,000 worth of debt.

Nova Scotia has some of the highest tuition rates in the country. But provincial Minister of Advanced Education Kelly Regan says it also has some of the best assistance programs.

“A student can have their entire provincial student loan forgiven,” said Regan. “We are always looking for ways to improve.”

The protesters remained outside of the Nova Scotia legislature for the remainder of the rally, hoping their chants weren’t ignored inside.

“We are being squeezed everywhere, be it with rent, be it tuition, be it with housing costs, and the one thing we can look to our government to step up on is just making tuition more accessible,” said student Mohammed Aumeer.

Until that changes they say they'll continue to graduate burdened by the weight of student loans.

With files from CTV Atlantic’s Kelland Sundahl.