Just as transportation, healthcare, or housing, education should be a fundamental need for modern day citizens. This is especially true in our contemporary world where knowledge not only impacts the life of each and every individual, but the value of a society as a whole – a culturally liberal country means a country full of educated people. Because of this, there are opinions that education should be free for everybody, as the government must be the institution fully in charge of it. Considering the importance of education, I strongly agree with this idea.
On the one hand, free education ensures that everyone, regardless of their socio-economic background, has access to quality education. For the lower to middle class, tuition is one of the biggest barriers that hesitate them from pursuing a more advanced degree. For some professionals that require an intensive training program for the worker to be licensed, such as medical, engineering, or finance, the total amount of cost ranges up to two hundreds of thousand dollars. This is equal to a middle-class total household income for a full 3 years. Considering that, there were many young people who had no choice but to give up their education and their dream career due to financial barriers.
Taking a further step from the previous point, we can see that investing in education can lead to a more educated workforce, which boosts economic growth. When school is made available and accessible to every citizen regardless of their financial status, the number of active students will rapidly increase. This boost in the number of learners thereby will result in a boost of the average education level of the population. Now, when people have more specialized skills, it is expected that they will do their job better, which results in a more productive workforce. This enhancement in labor productivity then will have a direct impact on economic growth. In other words, an educated workforce means a richer county.
In conclusion, free education is essential for creating a more equitable society, fostering individual potential, and driving economic prosperity. By removing financial barriers to education, governments can empower citizens, strengthen the workforce, and build a stronger nation. Ultimately, investing in education is an investment in the future.