In this week's issue of The Economist, January 24th 2004, the special report - "Financing Universities" [Who pays to study?] made me think about how much I have spent on schooling since high school. If higher education is to be effective, I believe students/parents must pay for that right to an education. If the government is going to give it away for free, the tax burden on childless couples is unfair. (The Economist)
I remember when I arrived in Japan and began meeting people from all over the world. Imagine to my great surprise that many of the university graduates from the UK and elsewhere did not have to pay much money, if any, for their tuition. I was utterly speechless. My undergraduate degree cost me a small fortune as I had to finance my education via Canada Student Loans and provincial loans. My loans were so high that I elected to repay the loan amount over a 10-year period. Luckily, I paid it off by the end of the 5th year. (I'll leave out the cost of obtaining my graduate degrees here - just thinking about the money makes my head spin.)
I don't think attending university should bankrupt anyone but, I believe giving away education for 'free' is a bad idea. If people can not afford tuition, then students should be made to maintain a certain level of academic standing for the privilege of 'getting a free ride' for four years. Heck, here is another idea: why not make graduates under this very generous program donate 10% of their net earnings back into a fund for a period of 5 years? Or what about graduates working for 2-3 years as volunteers in developing nations?
Recent Comments