Higher education is nowadays seen as a necessity in order to boost their careers. Some argue that students must bear the full cost of their higher education while others insist that the government should fund their university studies. In my opinion, I agree that paying up the course fees falls under the student’s own responsibility.
Looking at countries that have done so, there are many reasonable arguments on why free higher education should be provided by the state. On one hand, people believe that tax money should be portioned into education. Instead of channelling money into public services they rarely use (fire brigades, or police services), the tax utilises subsidising the nation’s higher education, hence reducing their financial burden. Besides that, every student will have the opportunity to graduate with a degree if tertiary education were accommodated. Many locals, with proliferating elite careers, would have better job opportunities in their own country.
In spite of these arguments, I believe that bearing the cost of their own education does come with benefits too. For instance, tax money can be allocated for better purposes: improving public transport, making healthcare more accessible, providing primary and secondary education plus building better roads in rural areas. Rather than funnelling the majority of it into education, there is no guarantee that students will appreciate free university education. Universities too, without proper funding, would not be able to sustain themselves.
In conclusion, universities play an important role in ensuring students walk on a good career path. For starters, the state can compensate for some parts of the fees through scholarships while universities can cut down on the fee amount. As Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”