Many individuals believe that university education should be free of charge. In my opinion, tuition fees should vary depending on the income of a particular family. Therefore, I disagree with the given statement for several reasons which will be covered in subsequent paragraphs.
The primary reason education should not be free is the need to financially support the academic staff of universities. Nowadays, many scholars are too dependent on grants and scholarships which in turn creates a competitive environment among them and might lead to a lack of motivation to work. For example, many university professors in developing countries struggle to make a good income and are looking for scholarship opportunities from abroad which might be a significant obstacle due to their language barriers. Additionally, some of them feel demotivated due to the amount of extra work they have to do while being underpaid.
Another compelling argument is that some people take free education for granted and do not feel their responsibilities as students. When students pay tuition fees, they become aware of potential punishments they might have in case they fall behind their studies. For instance, if one fails his/her exams, he/she realizes that the money they had paid before might have been spent in vain as they are facing the threat of being expelled. Conversely, some of the students that do not make any financial contributions take free education for granted and as a result violate internal rules. In addition, students who do not pay any fees but got enrolled in a university may take the seats of more talented and intelligent students.
To conclude, stating that free education has sole disadvantages would be unfair, however, I believe that paying tuition fees has more benefits for both students and universities including their work personnel. I believe that sponsored education creates a healthier competition and fairer academic environment.