In today’s world, there is an argument among people about whether university education should be free. Some people say that the government should be responsible for covering education fees for everyone, while others disagree, arguing that everyone should pay for their own education. While opinions vary on which is better, I support the latter view as there are more important grounds for investment by the authorities.
On the one hand, some propose that university fees should be paid by the government due to several reasons. One reason is correlated with the financial status of students; not everyone has the same financial conditions. Some students may not be able to pay higher university fees even though they have better intellectual abilities than other students because paying fees can be a financial burden for their families, which means some parents are more likely to be reluctant to invest money in their education. This can even be exaggerated by the fact that this reason is one of those leading to more dropouts from universities globally, according to statisticians. But if the government makes studying at universities free, it could be a factor in avoiding students’ giving up their studies and motivating them to study harder. Secondly, were university education to be free, many young people would have broader access to higher education, which means, in turn, that the literacy level of people would increase. In this regard, this could lead to breakthroughs and discoveries and developments in many fields, like cutting-edge technology areas, impacting advancement in medicine. Moreover, should many people have a university degree, they would also have better job prospects, contributing to their country’s economic growth.
On the other hand, there are other reasonable factors explaining why it would be better if students were responsible for paying their own education fees. First and foremost, it can be a way to teach them to value their education, as not everyone has access to university. Since they spend their own money on education, they appreciate learning more, not missing classes, and staying focused and attentive during lessons. In short, they take their studies seriously. Another reason is that there are more crucial fields for government investment. When it comes to students in difficult financial conditions, they can at least work to pay for their studies. However, in some countries, their medicine lacks essential techniques and equipment, or other public services are in more urgent need of investment. This investment would be more effective and beneficial for many people if spent on more essential fields.
In conclusion, while there are some upsides to making university education free for students, I am still of the opinion that there are other fields requiring urgent or continuous investment that the government should pay more attention to.