Free Tuition
According to Statistics Canada, the average post-secondary student in British Columbia
pays almost nine thousand dollars in annual tuitions fees. This, on top of living costs,
gate-keeps our educated workforce and prevents students from fully contributing to the
economy. Because of this, discussing free (or further subsidized) post-secondary tuition
has become topical in academic spaces. A particularly strong extension of this proposition
is tuition reimbursement. However, any form of tuition negation would be beneficial because
it would reduce student debt, provide an economic boost, and increase post-secondary
accessibility without devaluing higher education. Here’s how.
pays almost nine thousand dollars in annual tuitions fees. This, on top of living costs,
gate-keeps our educated workforce and prevents students from fully contributing to the
economy. Because of this, discussing free (or further subsidized) post-secondary tuition
has become topical in academic spaces. A particularly strong extension of this proposition
is tuition reimbursement. However, any form of tuition negation would be beneficial because
it would reduce student debt, provide an economic boost, and increase post-secondary
accessibility without devaluing higher education. Here’s how.
To start, free tuition would reduce student debt, which would in turn fuel the economy. In
a Global News article, UVic student Janessa Tom explains that “a full course load...takes up
the equivalent amount of time as a full-time job.” This is to say that many students are not
able to make living wages, therefor prompting student loans. These loans invite debt that
can linger for many years after graduation. Point being, money that could have been spent
buying goods and services is instead used to pay off loans. The same goes for students
without debt, who spend their savings on tuition up-front. If our provincial government could
fully or partially reimburse students’ tuition fees upon the completion of their programs, it
would allow graduates to sooner pay off debt, and sooner invest their money in more
economically beneficial ways. Free tuition even more so. Some might argue that this and
other benefits just aren’t worth taxpayer money, but striving for free tuition is more than
just a proactive economic investment, it also has favorable social implications.
a Global News article, UVic student Janessa Tom explains that “a full course load...takes up
the equivalent amount of time as a full-time job.” This is to say that many students are not
able to make living wages, therefor prompting student loans. These loans invite debt that
can linger for many years after graduation. Point being, money that could have been spent
buying goods and services is instead used to pay off loans. The same goes for students
without debt, who spend their savings on tuition up-front. If our provincial government could
fully or partially reimburse students’ tuition fees upon the completion of their programs, it
would allow graduates to sooner pay off debt, and sooner invest their money in more
economically beneficial ways. Free tuition even more so. Some might argue that this and
other benefits just aren’t worth taxpayer money, but striving for free tuition is more than
just a proactive economic investment, it also has favorable social implications.
If post-secondary tuition were free or reimbursable, the student-pool would diversify. Higher
education would become more financially accessible to low-income students, and BC would
see an increase in its educated workforce. Some like TIME editor Belinda Luscombe might
argue that this would decrease the value of having a post-secondary degree, and that students
would grow lazy from a lack of financial consequence. Free tuition, if combined with monitored
GPA or learning outcome requirements, would find this untrue. Competitive acceptance would
likely rise as well, which would reflect students capabilities over their cash. Even in the case
of tuition reimbursement, students would be incentivized to complete their programs for the
sake of getting their money back, whether they paid out of pocket or through a loan.
Lastly, higher education will still be valued in that it requires the commitment of a resource
perhaps more valuable than money: time.
education would become more financially accessible to low-income students, and BC would
see an increase in its educated workforce. Some like TIME editor Belinda Luscombe might
argue that this would decrease the value of having a post-secondary degree, and that students
would grow lazy from a lack of financial consequence. Free tuition, if combined with monitored
GPA or learning outcome requirements, would find this untrue. Competitive acceptance would
likely rise as well, which would reflect students capabilities over their cash. Even in the case
of tuition reimbursement, students would be incentivized to complete their programs for the
sake of getting their money back, whether they paid out of pocket or through a loan.
Lastly, higher education will still be valued in that it requires the commitment of a resource
perhaps more valuable than money: time.
To conclude, free post-secondary tuition offers ample socio-economic benefits. Not only
would it make higher education more financially accessible, but it would also bolster the
economy thanks to student spending. Just as public high school is free, so too could be
post-secondary education. That said, change takes time, and introducing this system would
likely require major restructuring. A province-wide tuition reimbursement program would be a
reasonable place to start in the meantime.
would it make higher education more financially accessible, but it would also bolster the
economy thanks to student spending. Just as public high school is free, so too could be
post-secondary education. That said, change takes time, and introducing this system would
likely require major restructuring. A province-wide tuition reimbursement program would be a
reasonable place to start in the meantime.
The idea of s reimbursement program is incredibly smart! The risk of free tuition overwhelming the market was a risk I hadn't considered.
ReplyDeleteThe benefits of citizens having extra cash cannot be overlooked, and I'm so glad you covered it. The less money people have, the more they depend on the government. While it will take time, the idea of a wealthier, more educated society is a concept I'd argue is worth fighting for. Rewarding the hard working rather than those born into rich families encourages everyone to strive for excellence.
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