In today’s world, good jobs are only open to university graduates. Therefore, many people would like universities to be free of charge. However, my own view is that students should make some contribution towards the cost of their education.
University education is expensive and, for many people, unaffordable. In fact, tuition fees continue to rise, perhaps because recent advances in technology are forcing universities to invest in more equipment. Many very bright students are unable to pay tuition fees; it would be unfair if they could not get a degree. It is also in our country’s economic interest to have a highly qualified workforce so that we can compete in a globalized world. Germany, for example, offers a free education at most public universities not just to Germans, but also to foreigners who wish to study there.
On the other hand, there are many families who can afford to send their children to university. Students can also earn money during their holidays; young people need to learn that nothing in life is free. My parents had to work hard to afford university, and they accepted this as a fact of life. The government has a limited budget, and it doesn’t make sense to subsidize the education of rich students when money is desperately needed for the health service, transport infrastructure and so on.
In conclusion, there are good arguments to be made for and against free university education. Learning is a very important process, but not the sole priority for our government. On balance, I believe that students and their families should pay as much of the tuition as they can, and government should pay the remainder