It is true that undergraduates have to pay high tuition to access higher education. Some people think that university should make a charge-free environment for everyone. While I acknowledge the potential benefits of free tuition at university, I believe it would be an unwelcome development.
On the one hand, free tuition fees would ensure equal opportunities accessing higher education for everyone and lead to long-term economic benefits. Regardless of their financial background, all students, rich or poor, no tuition fees allow all of them to pursue their academic goals. In particular, free tuition could help many underprivileged students, who might miss the opportunity to attend higher education, as they cannot afford a large sum of fees for years at university. Additionally, education is the foundation for human resource development, so the elimination of tuition fees can help everyone acquire the skills and knowledge needed from university. This also could improve people’s intellectual level creating a more educated society and productive workforce, which could enhance the economy.
On the other hand, free tuition fees would be challenging for the government to sustain the economy and also lead to poor performance of students. Firstly, a large number of universities’ funding rely on tuition fees to pay for upgrading educational amenities, laboratories, and campus maintenance, which are used to meet personal needs as well as improving teaching quality. Without tuition from students, the national budget from the government would be the sole economic source of universities, which makes the government struggle to maintain other social services, as the financial burden from the higher education system. Secondly, although the high tuition fees could pose a significant barrier for disadvantaged students, this could make university learners value their learning journey. Students might tend to take their studies more seriously to avoid failing a certain subject, this can make them be more accountable for their academic performance.
In conclusion, while there are reasons to advocate free tuition fees at higher education, I would contend that the cost of higher education could be decreased, but it is still necessary to charge tuition fees at universities.