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Student Corner

Should Education Be Free? Challenges and Outcomes

Written by: Atharva Lal Shrestha - 25011, Grade XI

Posted on: 20 November, 2023

Introduction

Education is seen as a very important tool of making society better and helping people improve themselves. It gives information and abilities they need to do well in life and helps make society advanced. However, education is now too expensive for many people all around the world. It stops them from getting opportunities and stops them from reaching their full potential. In this article, we will discuss why education should be free, how it can help people, society, and the economy.


 

Discussion

A really good reason to support free education is making sure that everyone has the same chances to succeed. In a world where some people have more money and opportunities than others, free education helps make things fairer by giving everyone a chance to get a good education. When education depends on how good someone is and not how much money they have, it means that anyone who is smart and works hard can follow their dreams. This is good for people and helps make society fairer for everyone to have a chance at success.

Increasing expense of education has caused a problem with student loans in many countries. After finishing university, many graduates have to repay a lot of money they borrowed. This can take them many years, even decades, to finish paying back. This debt can make it difficult for them to have families, buy homes, or pursue careers in areas that might not pay as well but are more personally satisfying. When education is given for free, students won't have to worry about being in debt. They can freely choose what they want to do with their lives based on what they are passionate about and talented in, without having to think about money.

In order to succeed in a competitive world economy, it is important to be well-educated. Free education means that people can learn the things they need to get a job. This also makes the overall workforce stronger and helps a country compete better globally. Education for everyone leads to a more varied, skilled, and flexible workforce, which helps the economy grow.

Education is a way to invest in yourself and improve your skills and knowledge. It helps people become better at what they do and more useful in society. When governments put money into education, they are putting money into the future of their country. Having a good education helps people to deal with the problems and changes that come with the 21st century, such as new technology and worldwide emergencies. If governments offer education for free, they can make sure that the people and the country have a better future.

Free education not only includes regular schooling, but also the idea of learning throughout your whole life. In an ever-changing world, people must keep learning new things and develop new abilities to succeed and do well. Free education systems can help create a society where people are encouraged to keep learning and seek more education and training throughout their lives. This not only helps individuals but also helps society be more dynamic and innovative.

Education provides many important advantages for society. It helps decrease crime, makes people healthier, and encourages people to get involved in their community. When people have more knowledge, they usually make smart choices, get involved in democratic activities, and make positive impacts on their communities. We can help society by making education available to everyone. This will create citizens who are better informed, involved, and care about others. Innovation is important for both the economy and society to move forward. When education is free, it helps people with new and exciting ideas to follow their interests and come up with new things. If you don't have to pay for your education, more people who want to be scientists, inventors, or entrepreneurs can make their ideas happen. This leads to a society that changes and thinks ahead more, and gets benefits from new ideas. Countries with good education systems are more competitive worldwide. They bring in skilled people from around the world, encourage new ideas, and keep a workforce that is necessary for the economy to succeed. Countries can become more appealing to students from their own country and other countries if they offer free education. This can make them stronger and more competitive in the global community.

In lots of places, the type of education you get can be very different depending on where you live and how much money you have. Education that does not cost money can help reduce the differences in opportunities for learning. It means that all students, no matter where they come from, can have the same good education. This helps make things more equal and improves how we all get along.

While giving education for free does require money, it usually leads to good outcomes in the future. When people have more education, they can help the economy more, pay more taxes, and rely less on social assistance programs. Moreover, when people are well-educated, it can lead to economic growth. This growth can bring in more money than the amount spent on providing education for free.

Even though free education has many advantages, there are also difficulties and opposing points of view to think about. Critics are worried about how much it would cost to set up this system, too many students in schools or colleges, and if making education available to everyone would make degrees less valuable.

To deal with these worries, governments might think about taking gradual steps towards free education. They could start by implementing it in stages and then slowly making it available to more people. Moreover, they can also put money into improving buildings and materials to meet the growing need for education without sacrificing its quality.


 

Conclusion

The argument for free education is based on the idea that education is a basic entitlement and a significant catalyst for personal and social development. By offering education that is both affordable and of high quality, we can create equal opportunities for everyone, decrease the burden of student loans, enhance the workforce, and invest in the skills and abilities of people. Getting education without paying encourages people to continue learning throughout their lives. Additionally, it helps to make society more equal and has long-lasting economic benefits. Although there may be difficulties in adopting free education, the benefits of doing so are much greater than the expenses.