The question of whether studying at university should be free or not has become a matter of debate, as people have different points of view regarding whether the state should provide tuition-free university education. Although creating opportunities for low-income sections of society to obtain an education at higher education institutions seems beneficial, I do, however, believe that the majority will neglect this opportunity.
It is believed that providing free education in universities can be beneficial to financially disadvantaged people. By creating such opportunities, not only can people acquire higher education, regardless of their financial status, but they can also effectively contribute to the country’s economic growth. In other words, it is a long-term investment that returns to the country in the form of highly skilled professionals. Germany can serve as a notable example: it offers tuition-free higher education to all students, and this policy allows it to consistently maintain a highly skilled workforce, demonstrating the effectiveness of these measures. As a result, the governmental investment is fully compensated for by the overall national growth in terms of wealth and innovation.
Granted, such measures appear effective; nevertheless, I believe that they can also deteriorate the quality of education in a country. What this means is that little do proponents realize that by implementing such policies, the majority of students will neglect this opportunity, taking it for granted. Many empirical studies have demonstrated that when tuition fees are removed, students show lower levels of academic effort and motivation, as they do not feel a financial responsibility for their progress. As a result, at best these steps give rise to the depletion of the government’s budget, and at worst, to a decline in the overall quality of education in such countries.
In conclusion, despite appearing productive, providing tuition-free university education may lead to a decline in the overall standard of education. Given these realities, it is recommended that the government provide tuition-free education based on students’ academic achievements.