Free Tuition
Takach
February 16, 2020
Student debt is an enormous burden that weighs down many people for decades after receiving their degree. Not only are students having to extend their completion to be able to afford post-secondary, they are also becoming more and more dependent on their parents. As student debt reaches an all-time high, many countries including Canada are starting to consider the possibility of free tuition. Not only would this unburden many students, free tuition is good because more people would be able to attain their goals and it would decrease stress for many young adults.
According to Statistics Canada, the average student in Canada pays $6,500 for tuition per year not including the expenses of travel, textbooks and other necessities. When it comes to higher costing programs, students are paying anywhere from $8,000 - $22,000 per year. As this number continues to increase and it becomes less feasible for many, students are forced into loans before education is even an option.
Josh Christopher, contributing writer for Nexus says that “[s]tudents paying interest on loans are actually paying more for their education than those who can afford to pay up front”. Even though loans seem effective for short term, free tuition would open doors for many who cannot get a loan and would significantly raise the number of people with an education.
Martha Kanter, executive director of the College Promise program in the U.S. says that a population with a higher education rate is “not only about money — it’s about crime reduction, it’s about health, it’s about happiness”. Having access to an education would change things drastically for a lot of people. More students would be able to focus their full attention on school because they wouldn’t be forced to work numerous jobs while in school or in between semesters, just to be able to afford their classes.
In addition to schoolwork, students are struggling with their mental health as they take on too much just to get by. Kym Sweeny, single mother and law graduate from Dalhousie University is $223,000 in debt. “When I filed for bankruptcy, it really affected my mental health.” Sweeny says that it was only, “[t]hrough therapy, [she] identified that [her] personal stress was very much attributed to [her] financial stress”. Mental Health has been dismissed for far too many years and Kym’s case is not unique.
Not only would free tuition make education possible for many who could not afford it otherwise, it would allow for students to concentrate on their learning and their mental health without the weight of tuition looming over their heads.
Sources
Statistics Canada as quoted in “Student dept: The crippling side effect of education.” https://business.financialpost.com/personal-finance/young-money/student-debt-the-crippling-side-effect-of-education
“Open Space: It’s time to eliminate tuition in Canada by Josh Christopher in Nexus.” https://www.nexusnewspaper.com/2016/09/07/open-space-its-time-to-eliminate-tuition-in-canada/
Martha Kanter as quoted in “3 years ago, President Obama first proposed making community college tuition free. Here's where we now stand.” by Autumn A. Arnett. https://www.educationdive.com/news/free-community-college-its-not-just-democrats-making-the-push/512845/
“10 Millennials Across Canada Reveal How Much Student Debt They *Really* Have.” by Diana Duong. https://www.flare.com/news/canadian-student-debt/
So true that student debt is not only a burden during a person's time in school, but for years after graduating too. High tuition forces many stressed, busy students to work at the same time in order for them to afford school. This can really affect students mental health as school, homework, and work begin to take up all their time, with little "me" time to balance it out. After all the stress that comes with school is over, stress of repaying your loans comes in. Free tuition would allow for more people to be able to take care of their mental health and concentrate on their education.
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