Free tuition
Wong
February 15, 2020
There is a Chinese proverb that says “Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.” But not everyone can access this treasure because of the high price tag that comes with learning. Free tuition is good because it would reduce financial stress for students and allow for more opportunities for people to get an education.
According to Statistics Canada, the average annual tuition in 2018/2019 for undergraduate students is $6838, and for graduate programs it is $7086. Not having the ability to pay for tuition takes away education opportunities for lower-income people, and can also lead to students dropping out because they can’t afford to finish school. The Ontario Student Assistance Program reports that it takes about nine and a half years for new graduates to repay their loans. The financial burden of repaying students loans on top of living expenses for new grads with only a starter salary can be difficult.
“I worry about the money I owe today because it's overwhelming. I'm in my mid-20s, and I want to think about having a house, having a steady income, a steady lifestyle. And I feel like that's still very far off for me,” says Lauren Paulson, student at Algonquin College. “When I sit down and think about what's going to happen in the future, I don't have anything mapped out. And I think that's because of how much debt I have.”
If tuition was free, graduates would not have to worry about student debt when making decisions on things such as marriage, buying a house or starting a family. They would be financially stable earlier in life and therefore be able to contribute to the economy earlier. Graduates would also be able to volunteer or travel more to broaden their experiences and knowledge instead of making employment choices that would help them best repay their loans.
“There are a lot of ventures I want to take on to broaden my CV, to gain experience to show future employers,” says Troy Curtis, student at Carleton University. “But it's difficult to do that when I have to spend most of my day-to-day life, figuring out how I can pay for rent, for food and for tuition payments.”
Tuition-free post-secondary would also allow more people to receive an education and it would also allow for students to study in different areas that interest them. With a well-educated population, employers are less likely to hire someone from overseas, which leads to a lower unemployment rate.
Education becomes an asset that one can use in life, but not everyone can afford it. If tuition was free, more people would be able to get an education without having to worry about student debt. Graduates could contribute to the economy more, and it would lower unemployment rate because employers can hire more local people.
Reference
Tuition fees for degree programs, 2018/2019
https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/180905/dq180905b-eng.htm
Students graduating with debt say recent budget changes amount to ‘a tiny band-aid’ on a ‘gushing wound’
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/personal-finance/gen-y-money/article-recent-federal-budget-will-help-indebted-students-but-experts-say-its/
How 5 Ottawans are dealing with crushing student debt
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/university-student-debt-photo-essay-1.4305589
I agree, the financial burden of education shouldn't limit individuals from their dreams, goals, and career choices. I like the fact that you brought up dropping out of school. I can't imagine putting in all the hard work and time into schooling (let alone dealing with all of the stressors involved in full time studies) and then have to drop out because you can't afford the tuition. I can imagine it taking a huge toll on ones mental health; a population of young people beaten down my the systems they were born into is not a population that feels elevated by their community. It is a population caught up in the cyclical individualist mentality just trying to keep their own head above water.
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