If you've been paying attention to the news lately you'll know that the English Parliment has passed a bill that has allowed the tuition fees of all English universities and colleges to triple. This has led to massive riots of the students who attend, or planning to attend post secondary education. The reasoning behind the government's move is to help the English economy, however, what may help now, could possibly hinder in the long run. Over in England the cost of living is almost double that of what it is here in North America. Housing and food are generally more expensive, and while people make enough to pay for these things it doesn't make the life of a student any easier. Many people make enough to save a little, but not enough to save for something like post secondary education, which is why it was government funded for so long, it helped out the students when they only had to pay a fraction of the tuition fee. Now, I support these riots whole heartedly, because I am in somewhat of the same situation, I make enough money to live, but not to further my education without placing myself in massive amounts of debt.
The problem with expensive university costs is this: You cut off the flow of knowledge. If post secondary education is too expensive beyond a reasonable amount of debt then it severely discourages students from attending. You can argue that people should work harder, but that argument holds no water when you are already working hard and yet can't seem to make the money you need to to further your education which could allow you to pull yourself out of debt. You cut off reasonable access to further education and you end up with people giving up on their education, not because they want to, but because they have to. There is only so far in debt you can go before you realize that you have to start paying that debt, and the only way that will happen is if you get some job, and drop out of school. Or, you go to school, but you don't achieve your full potential and end up working to pay for something you didn't want in the first place because debt forced your hand.
I am not saying that the government should pay for ALL of the tuition, I am saying that the government pays enough to make it reasonable for a student to manage their education. What the English government has done is wrong. To deny someone the right to education is to deny someone their right to live to their full potential. By all means argue that I am wrong, that I am an idealist, that I have no grasp on reality. But let me ask you this, what if the government decided to tripple YOUR tuition right now. Currently the average tuition is $6000 dollars give or take. This doesn't include food, books, transportation and living quarters. Triple that and you have $18,000 not for a top of the line school, but for an average one. Think about it.
The problem with our government and governments around the world is there are certain people of power who tend to put their agenda's before the well being of others in their countries. Sadly, if a budget, proposal, law, etc. does not follow the "rogram" (for lack of better words) that they are implementing or following, it usually can get shoved to the back of the line. Knowledge is power.
The USA spends 663,255,000,000 on its militery, it has been involved in a few small wars in the last 10 years. It spends 5x the amount as China and has a smaller weaker army. The education budget is US$56 billion less then a tenth of the amount. America has many allies and should have a militery budget of around 100,000,000,000 (still highest in world) and let education and tax cuts have the other 563,255,000,000.
The USA spends 663,255,000,000 on its militery, it has been involved in a few small wars in the last 10 years. It spends 5x the amount as China and has a smaller weaker army. The education budget is US$56 billion less then a tenth of the amount. America has many allies and should have a militery budget of around 100,000,000,000 (still highest in world) and let education and tax cuts have the other 563,255,000,000.
This is assuming that spending more money on education would help everyone. America spends... look at the OP. This is why we DON'T want America to spend more money on tuition fees!
If the government payed, let's say, less money for tuition fees, the costs of college would have to go down to compensate. If certain colleges did not lower their fees, others would due to competition.
I hope I don't have to talk to you about the benefits of an educated society.
Actually, I believe this would be a good idea. What do you define as an uneducated person? Do you believe knowledge for particular jobs in some cases could be learned strictly from experience, or do you believe most jobs/all jobs should require some form of college?
Your attitude towards education is completely different to mine, I see education as one of the core principles of the human race. Even when no economic benefits are there it should be pushed forward. There is very little economical to educate the masses who will most likely not use there knowledge for there jobs but there are huge moral reasons.
In Croatia, the government invests in education. I go to college and I'm paying almost no tuition solely due to my scores on the entry exam and the fact that I haven't failed a single course so far. I've also applied for a small scholarship due to my first year grades. Here, the government also puts pressure on all educational institutions to save money where they can in order to maintain this standard. In addition, every college tries to gain any amount of resources it can through projects (also a nice way for students to get some experience early on). And lastly, we have no luxurious campuses, fraternity homes or any of that fancy stuff. Our colleges look no better than office buildings, as we tend to value functionality over appearance. If there's money to make something look better, spend it on making something work better instead. I always thought most American colleges gave too much value towards appearance. Don't now about Britain, but I don't think there's much of a difference in that department. Not trying to make a point here, just sharing my two cents 'tis all.
Even when no economic benefits are there it should be pushed forward. There is very little economical to educate the masses who will most likely not use there knowledge for there jobs but there are huge moral reasons.
You're thinking about high school.
College education and basic education are different. You shouldn't be entitled to college. That's ridiculous. IF every last person could go to college for free, then that's just 2 to 4 more years of college to get a job that MIGHT pay well. If less people went to college, there would be more of a guarantee of gaining a better job from going to college.
I see no reason at all to go to college if you can't get a better job from doing so. If you honestly want to go merely to learn, go ahead. You can also go to the book store or a library. Most of what you learn in college is the stuff you can generally learn on your own, especially today with the internet!
College is over rated. You don't need it to be smart. Maybe the government should give me money to buy books, educational books. Why doesn't the government do that? Why doesn't the government pay me to shadow experts? There are many ways to gain knowledge, and the idea that college is the only way to gain it is absolute rubbish.
So why do I feel government should not pay for us to go to college? Because the information we need to become smarter is there, we just need to work for it, even if that knowledge is to be obtained through college. I'm sick to death of this mentality that "college is the answer and everyone should go to college!" College is NOT for everyone, because school is BS and anyone who has a job can tell you that work and school are completely different experiences.
I think we're aware of the fact that college isn't for everyone. All I was saying is that for those who DO wish to go to college or university they should be able to for a reasonable price and a reasonable amount of debt. For instance, I wish to teach. While I'm aware there are other ways to gain knowledge (I've studied various histories on my own time), society demands I have a piece of paper saying that I know what I'm doing. Believe me NoName I agree university shouldn't have to be the answer for knowledge and that things should be put forth to educate the masses through a variety of means. However, the government won't do it, for your stated reasons. It isn't economically feasible. Which is sad. A more educated population benefits everyone. Except, perhaps, those currently in control.
College is over rated. You don't need it to be smart. Maybe the government should give me money to buy books, educational books. Why doesn't the government do that? Why doesn't the government pay me to shadow experts? There are many ways to gain knowledge, and the idea that college is the only way to gain it is absolute rubbish.
No one is arguing that. Education in itself is a good thing, not merely because it makes people smarter, but because a government that provides equal opportunities for social advancement to its citizens by means of university subsidies is the mark of a civilised society. The idea that the only people who deserve to go to university are those who are lucky enough to be born with rich parents is absolute rubbish, as is the idea that simply 'working hard' is enough to get yourself the money to pay your way if you are poor.
I'm in college at the moment and I have to side with NoName on this argument, the government does not need to be in the buisiness of paying for everyone to go to school. Education for the entire population is covered in grade school and that is all that should be the government's responsibility. Granted, grade school and especially high school are fairly subpar but that is due to the fact everyone is allowed in, the standards are low and there is a rush to get everyone through. I can still remember high school seniors that could hardly read graduating. If the government begins paying for college they will take it over and it will become grades 13-16. Standards will decrease and a college degree will become a worthless bit of paper meaning a masters or Doctorate degree will be required. Many people feel they have to go to college and do not belong there, it's always interesting to see a class full of freshmen in the begining of the semester and then at the end of the semester see only 3 out of 4 or even only half of the original class still there. We have put too much of a value on college and as such it is becoming less educational and more grades 13-16. If the government gets involved in paying for it more people looking to put off entering the real world will go in order to still be in school.
To the argument that a college education means one is more educated I really believe you need to do some more research. Many degree programs require numerous money grabbing classes that do little to educate but make money and make a "well rounded program." If you want an education I suggest you start reading books on history, math, science and so on. You don't have to go to school to get an education, in fact, many times you are better off learning on your own and maybe taking a class or two that might interest you if that's what you want to do.
Instead of college it would be nice to see a return of apprenctice programs, they yeild superiour workers than college ever does. Most people have little need for their degree, how many art majors work office jobs that have nothing to do with art for example. What college often gives us is intellectuals who know little of how things actually work. Many government law enforcement agencies for example will not take a candidate just because they have a degree as they truley know nothing about the job, despite how much they think they know.
In conclusion, it is not the government's job to pay for your college education unless they have offered you a job that requires an education and they want to pay for you, though that is rare. If you want the government to pay for your education, join the military. If not, sit down and write down your plans for what you want to do with your life and see if you really need a college degree. Experience will help more than a degree and if you want an education that badly there are tens of thousands of books on history, science and so on all easily available in your government funded libraries.
