The question of whether or not the government should consider making tertiary education available to all learners has been the subject of recent public discussion. Higher education, in my opinion, should be free regardless of income, based on the grounds that it would benefit both individuals and society.
Firstly, one argument in favor of eliminating university fees is that there are many learners who are unable to pay for their education, despite their strong desire to obtain degrees. Without sufficient financial support, these students have no other way to fulfill their dreams. Even in cases where students can afford to pay for university, they often have to take out loans and work part-time to pay for their living costs. This can severely affect their grades, and therefore, their future career development. It can also leave them with large debts to pay when they finish studying. These financial barriers may discourage highly talented students from pursuing a university education.
Secondly, no country can prosper without an educated population, so funding free university education is a long-term investment into the future of the country. Taxpayers’ money is arguably being misused by governments on initiatives like space exploration. If a country can’t educate its population, there is no sense in investing large amounts of money into ambitious space projects. A far more sensible distribution of government funds could allow thousands of students to fulfill their dreams. This would lead to a more educated society, which would, no doubt, benefit the country as a whole for many years (to come).
In conclusion, free university education, regardless of income, is crucial for any society seeking sustainable progress. Expensive tuition fees may discourage some individuals from pursuing university degrees, as young people are often unwilling to carry the burden of their loans for many years after graduation, making university less appealing. The government should be responsible for the cost of tertiary education. Hence, it would be appropriate for the government to better distribute financial resources in order to do this.