American philosopher Allan Bloom referred to education as the “movement from darkness to light”, inferring that without education we can never truly understand the world. However, the apparent individualist mindset of our collective Canadian society has placed a greater value on the income of those running educational institutes than those attending those same institutes. Consequently, Canadian students are beginning to revolt against the heinous fees and the response to these complaints are usually one of three standard statements: if it was possible it would have been done already, education gives a competitive edge which you must pay for or that there are funding options available to students. These responses are tired. The Canadian government has acknowledged in the past the importance of moving towards equality in access to education. Young adults with education are still not finding jobs …show more content…
Students born into lower socio-economical status should have the same right to make a choice about the kind of life they want to create for themselves. In fact, the United Nations classifies the right to education as a fundamental human right. As stated in a treaty signed by the Canadian government with the United nations in December 1966 “higher education shall be made equally accessible to all… in particular by the progressive introduction of free education”. We have nearly reached the 50th anniversary of this treaty and yet tuition fees in Canadian Universities have done nothing but climb. If this cost were diminished for Canadian citizens they would have the opportunity to rise above their socio-economical status in this society. Without the support of the government on tuition, this seems impossible for many Canadian students who now fear for their prospective
de Broucker, Patrice. 2005b. Without a Paddle: What to do About Canada's Young Drop-Outs. CPRN Research Report. Ottawa: Canadian Policy Research Networks. October.
Ellison, Keith. “The Argument for Tuition-Free College.” The American Prospect. The American Prospect. 14 April 2016.Web. 20 March 2018.
Opponents of free post secondary education tend to believe that the establishment of free post secondary education will never happen because it will be too expensive for the federal and state governments to maintain in long-term. As a result, free post secondary education can lead to a great impact on Canadian economy, students’ success in life and environmental issues.
The critical challenge within in today’s society is that college tuition should be free or if not free, more affordable for all students. Certainly, higher education should not be considered a luxury where only the wealthy could afford, but an opportunity for all caste systems. It must be an accessible and affordable opportunity for all students in order for them to invest in their education. Higher education is important because it provides more careers to choose from than the careers offered without having a college degree. Ultimately, the issue here is whether it is right to make college tuition more affordable for the students.
Today in American society, one feels pressured and obligated to seek higher levels of education. In the article “College prepare people for life” written by Freeman Hrabowski, he expresses his views on the many aspects in which college prepares one for their life; especially, financially. Having a college degree increases ones ability to get a job in comparison to somebody who has solely a high school diploma. However, many are faced with the irony of having to go into to debt, in order to work towards financial independence and security. In terms of socio economics, those who are stuck by poverty often cannot afford going into debt to exit their current ranking in the qazi caste system of poverty. Many argues that college prepares people for life, however one can disagree due to
The biggest question or dispute regarding the cost of higher education is finding the appropriate monetary and economical equation to determine the percentage of personal and public responsibility. The above debate has been in question since the 1800’s when Thomas Jefferson stated; "I think by far the most important bill in our whole code is that for the diffusion of knowledge among the people. No other sure foundation can be devised, for the preservation of freedom and happiness ”. Those important words that called attention to the importance of having an educated citizenry in order to preserve democracy are until this day, words by which legislator...
A diverse array of arguments concerning the costly price of college and its equivalency to the ultimate result of attending persists along a vastly debatable spectrum of economic and social influences. Those seeking a better standard of living by the means of higher education often find themselves in conditions that are more adverse than their lifestyle prior to attending college. Efforts to dwindle the expenditure of college education have potential to produce a heightened reality for the world, with intellectual knowledge as the pivotal key. The expensive cost and limitability of a college education has potential to invoke incentive to work harder in one’s studies; however, obtaining a college degree does not ensure employment, the cost can
... To summarize, since so many Canadians consider university as their potential post-secondary institution, Canadian universities should lower their tuition fees. With lower fees would come more students; and students already attending would be more likely to continue their studies at the university, especially if they could afford it. Lower costs would also mean more students taking classes for interest-based reasons instead of strictly for a degree, enhancing an atmosphere of learning and promoting financial growth within universities. Lastly, if tuition fees were cheaper, more Canadian students would be able to fulfill their career goals and dreams, achieving for themselves a higher quality of living and a better paycheck from their well-paying and satisfactory career - the ultimate goal of any Canadian, a goal that universities would do well to capitalize on.
The majority of students in Canada leave university/college with an average of $30,000 - $150,000 worth of debt. Imagine a child with great academic potential but handicapped by his/her family's poor financial state. How will he/she have the ability to afford the tuition required by the universities when he/she barely has enough to eat? If we implement free post-secondary education then students from all financial backgrounds will be treated equally. Free post-secondary education would provide students with more choices for a future career. Well educated students have more advantages to increase their skills and abilities to use new technology and come up with more creative ideas in the real world;
George Washington Carver once stated that: “Education is the key to unlock the golden door of freedom.” An education is the first step to a job, a salary, recognition, and a successful life. The greatest pride of a nation is not their military, nor their economy. It is the ability to say that their people are educated. Now, a higher education is so closely connected to the American Dream that it is nearly impossible to reach one without reaching the other. However, now access to that dream is fading to many. Over the last 35 years, a trend in rising tuition prices has brought college education out of the reach of many low and middle class families. Between the higher tuition costs and lower average salaries, families are often forced to choose between losing access to a higher education or being burdened with debt for the rest of their lives. In order to restore access to the basics right of American citizens, it is necessary to make education more accessible by making it
The education system has been changing in recent years and the same problems that existed continue to get worse as years pass. Problems that were seen as minor at first have now grown. How to change the public higher education system has been a major topic of discussion but there has still been no major action taken. We struggle to figure out how much funding is needed for higher education and where it should come from. Our people continue to suffer from an underfunded high cost system. The wealthy minority of people continue to be the only ones accounted for and it is time to change this. We need to adapt to the changes and the costs that continue to rise. It is time to help the struggling middle and lower classes. I believe that the best
This nation has always prided itself in seeking knowledge. The truth is that for many, it is difficult to obtain a higher education than that of a high school diploma. However, the issue we face is that we are in a time and age that requires our workforce to have the best possible education to have a fighting chance for a decent job. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the premier government source for information on jobs, shows that only 27 percent of jobs in the U.S. economy currently hold a college degree (associate degree or higher). This is a dangerous statistic to be facing when this nation needs to remain competitive in the workforce against competitors in other countries. In 2012, a study was conducted by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), in which the United States was rated fourth in the world for being the most educated country; leaving Canada, Israel and Japan in the top consecutive slots and placing our nation with only a slight narrow advantage over New Zealand and South Korea. This seems like good enough of a reason for more people to want to push themselves for a higher education. However, the biggest problem that faces most people today in the United States is how to pay for college. According to research conducted through a non-profit organization called The
College is one of the most fundamental institutions in our modern world. It is a place where most of our future politicians, doctors, scientists, and leaders are made. Though, it seems that the price tag that comes with a college education is something that is too hefty for some students. Countless debates go on about whether the price of college should be abolished or whether the cost still is on the students to pay for.
Higher education debate is a controversial and hot topic for politicians in the United States due to the price associated with higher education in the country. State lawmakers regularly worry about the rising cost of attaining a college degree, and lowering the debt burden to the student. Consequently these issues have been turned into a talking point during the presidential campaign trail. The pressure on the amount of tuition paid has not only been seen from the government but also from the families, which have shown reluctance in paying the high tuition fees. Public universities 'which have attempted to increase the fee' have come under heavy scrutiny despite the reluctance of the state to invest in higher education (Holmwood, 2011).
It is also Government’s responsibility to ensure barrier free public access to post-secondary education system; however, Canadian students enrolled in the post-secondary institutions are required to pay tuition fees. The increasing need for higher skilled labour supply has given rise to an ongoing debate whether the post-secondary education in Canada should also be tuition free.