Should university education be free?

Absolutely not! I am so tired of everyone wanting everything for free. FREE just means everyone else who pays taxes is paying your bills. And, frankly, I have a few bills of my own to pay and I don't go begging at everyone else's door for them to pay my way. We have created a malicious welfare state by offering FREE housing, FREE medical clinics, FREE food, FREE clothing, and we're on our way to FREE healthcare that is going to cost a fortune to taxpayers! We have so much fraud and corruption in our FREE programs, it costs several times as much as it should, because where there is FREE, people stop trying to work and just sit with their hands out for more goodies. Please do not come back with I'm horrible because I don't want to take care of the poor. I give generously to charities, but resent the mischief out of everyone else deciding where my money goes. I work for it and seem to have the least say in what happens to any of my tax dollars. My husband, my son and I worked to get him through college and I expect everyone else to do the same. It's time that instead of FREE we start saying PERSONAL RESPONSIBILITY for a change. FREE costs far too much. Every time we get FREE items, we sell ourselves to the politicians more and more. That's why they promise so much and deliver so little. When they yell FREE, the greedy lap it up and vote for those who care little about them.

I definitely think that University education should be free so that all students will be given a chance to study and earn a degree.

You know, my friend. As I read your articles I think you right. We don't know where our taxes goes if they are well spent or go only to some individuals. Yes, it is worthy enough if the government invest money to this field. Because most of the people say education is the ladder of success. If the government provide a good and proper education to all the citizens I think the government will build a dynamic and strong economy in the country.

I also think that university education should be totally free. but university students should get maximum output from the university education. because this is a one kind of investment for future development. university students should utilize the resources of university efficient and effective manner.

Hi. I partly agree with you. I also believe that free university education should be provided by a government to its citizens. I believe that education is one of the best uses for our taxes. Education is very important so it must be accessible/ provided to anybody who would like to attain a certain degree of college education regardless of the social status of the family. However, I also believe in the establishment of private universities/colleges. It is to provide choices for those who could afford expensive education.

Making University education free sounds good but i think its not a feasible idea. Its true that we do pay a lot of taxes to the government but there are other needs of a country other than education which needs more attention like unemployment etc.By saying so i don't mean that spending on Education is a waste.I think that students which are capable of paying for the education comfortably should be made to pay and a lot of scholarship schemes should be launched so that those who are unable to pay also can attain the University Education easily.

I agree with you that college education should be free. This way more poor students can go to college and master at least a skill that will help them in their work and life. In China, we have only nine-year compulsory education system and since a few years ago, the students have started to receive their education for free, which is a good thing. The nine-year compulsory education refers to Grade One till Grade Nine. In vocational high school, it is also free, but not in regular high school. I wish that it would be free for college students to enjoy college education.

Hi magic, I agree that if all monies were spent wisely University could be free for everyone. Just as health care should and must eventually be free for all, the same could be done for education at all levels. It is not that there isn't enough money collected in taxes, but how and where it is spent. Corruption is rampant almost everywhere and there is no sign yet that things are about to change in the immediate future, but I believe that day will come. Blessings.

I think education should be provided to everyone in the country for free, for education is a way to get equality. But to provide free education requires a lot of financial support from the government and NGO, which may cause high tax rate.

I do agree with you.

So if the economic burden is not borne by the citizenry, who is it to be borne by? Are you willing to teach for free?

I just reread your post. At one point, you say "it doesn't mean this economic burden should be borne by the citizens." Who do you think would ultimately be paying this burden? The citizen with additional tax dollars pulled from their paychecks, that's who. There is not one government in the world that actually makes money. They demand money in the form of taxes and that is how they run. So, again I ask, why should I pay for your education, when I have my own family to worry about?

I do not think higher education should be free. The university though should lower their fees so more people could afford to get a higher education. There are grants, scholarships and other finanical aid to help a person pay some of the fees but sometimes with the high prices on books it just do not cover everything.

You know magic9, you have a point there, but is we will speak of quality education, i think it will be impossible. You are right, maybe you are paying the taxes, but, how about the others? You are paying the taxes, but, as you can see, there are also a lot of things that those money will be going. Like, the security, of each and everyone of us, who will give salary to the police who are willing to sacrifice their lives for the people? If we will make education free and put the budget in there. there are lots of people and i think the money is not enough for all people to be educated. How about the railways and the highways that you see every time you go to work? Who will do the repair if the money will be given to education. There are really lots of things and fields that needed money, not only education. Anyway, there are scholarships and lots of free schooling, and i think it is good, the only problem is that the student must need to have a good grade or really excellent to have it. Well, why be a problem, they are just maximizing the money and making sure that the money will be spend in good and will not be wasted. We need to admit that, it is not only the fault of the government why other people are uneducated nowadays. There are lots of people who are taking education, for granted. They do not care about education, they only want parties and happenings. Then what after it? Another thing is that, if the education will be free, would you think, it will be a quality education? Of course not, without the money for it, i am sure that the public universities will sure to do their very best to maximize the money for it to run long, and for education to exist in the near future. I hope you already know what i mean. I can explain things more briefly here, as a development education major, it is really hard to think making education free. There are two kinds of school that exist in this world. The Public, which is run by government, and the Private, which is run by Private companies and sometimes family. In public schools, the money came from the government, almost everything, including the salary, the maintenance and almost everything for a school to run. If we will make education for free forever, i think it is really impossible because, knowing all the people are paying their taxes, do you think those taxes is enough to cover all the expenses that a country have? How about the emergency funding, the protection, and other expenses that our country needs in order for it to survive? Try to think that, it is not only education that people in a country needed. There are still lots of needs of a country. If we will not budget it, the future of a country will be in much big trouble. Another thing, how many uneducated people are living in your country? I think, the percentage of the uneducated people compare to the people who are paying taxes is much higher. Then how do you think, it is possible? and besides, the quality of education that we will receive if, everything on education will be free, will be "nothing at all" no quality at all and the future on education will be at risk. Do you want it to happen? Now let us talk about the private schools or universities. The money that they spend on all the expenses of their school, will come from the tuition fees and other fees of the school only. How come can we make it free? Imagine, you are the administrator of the school and you need to budget all the available resources that you gathered to make the school last long. Look at the school expenses, Electric bills, Tax of those companies, knowing that they are big companies, means big taxes, water bills, maintenance of the school, the security of the children and most of all the salary of Qualified teachers. Do you think it is possible to make education for free, if we cannot even pay for those expenses? I mean, i can understand you and i know what you feel for those people, but of course, we need to think first of all the things that is round us, not focus on one thing. We need to consider a lot of things before asking anything else. Besides, remember this words, do not think of what your government can give you, but think of what you can give in our country. It is easy to say but really, when you are already there, it is very hard to do. Even if there is no corruption, i am sure, still it is very difficult what more the word corruption and it's practice exist? Hope you get my point even if it is a bit confusing, i am not good at English so please bare with me. Have a nice day.

I think that, if the student is willing to work for their education, then they should get it. If they are not willing to do some kind of work, then no. By work, I mean good grades, maybe work-study, basically, contributing to the college. I say this because I have been working my can off at that college I attend. I have been working part-time, I have been making good grades, and I am in an honor society. I have also earned a scholarship. That to me is working for an education, and I will value it more because I worked for it.

I agree with you that university level education should be totally free! I can see obviously that university nowadays is an education provider, but one growing business as well. It is a pity for me to see a lot of 'on fire' students to be an engineer, a lawyer, a doctor, and so on but their dreams just come to an end because they can afford the tuition fees! The government's mission to eliminate poverty should be started at its education system! I can see in developed countries students are not facing financial problem whenever they want to go to university! I've been dreaming that one day my government will give support for those who really want to study and show real enthusiasm.

I have two kids in college and it is very expensive. But I don't agree that it should be free. It would make us more dependent on the government because someone has to pay for the costs associated with the education. The more government control the more degraded the system. Look at the primary school systems they are a mess and our education does not compare with other countries. So if they can't run that system effectively they certainly can't do higher education. Nothing in life is free - you have to work for everything you get even education.

I wish college was free. :p The tuition and fees in the US are absoluetly outrageous! I don't know much about managing operating fees and paying the teachers and whatnot, but I really think something should be done about lowering the costs of school. Free is probably a little out of the question because of the recession and govt debts these days, but I really hope something is done soon...

i'm not sure i can agree with you 100%. Maybe it should be more affordable, but there are community colleges and financial aid for affordable. as far as further education goes, it costs. The people who pay the costs are serious about a quality education. The people who pay keep the university funded for things that are necessary to uphold the university's reputation. For example you are paying to keep the campus looking nice, professor salaries, clubs, activities on campus etc. Nothing is free. Nothing at all. However, at a lower cost, maybe. Never free. k-12 education should be free, but further education, not so much.

Yes I think university education should be free because education is important