Former President Obama prompted nationwide debate on the pros and cons related to free college education in 2015 when he proposed the government’s plan to introduce free college education in each state. Despite the delays and institutionalized bureaucracy processes leading to a temporary postponement of this policy, it is an important issues that continues to affect many Americans who cannot afford the financial costs of many college institutions. The debate on free education is both a moral and economic issues which pertains to the basic rights of Americans to access education. It is thus the prerogative of the government to ensure her citizens have access to education; a means for improving economic mobility and the overall literacy level of the national workforce. Among the top reasons for many students dropping out of the education system in America related to the financial aspect of college tuition. As such, introduction of free college will allow many students from low-income families the opportunity to attend college and attain their academic dreams (Al 11). While there are possible student loans which the students can use to pay their tuition, this is not a definite solution to the problem of cost. This is because student loans only postpone the problem for many graduates who have to contend with the burden of student loans and possibly unemployment.
Americans from families with a poor background deserve equal access to education facilities, the scenario where many young people have to work while simultaneously working night shifts is not the vision that the government should encourage (Goldrick-Rab et al., 56). Additionally, such colleges are able to maintain the brightest students and avoid possible brain drain (Scharabok 93). Instead, the government should look to redirect funds into the payment of fees for young Americans. The second motivation for introducing free college education in America relates to the benefits that society will accrue from having a better-educated populace. College education provides learners with critical-thinking skills that can be applied diligently in various sectors of our society for the benefit of development and growth. Progressive changes in the business environment show that the economy will witness a 60%increase in the demand for skilled labor the market (Goldrick-Rab & Andrew 398). Attaining this target in the current mode of expensive higher-level education will be an impossible task. Aside from the economic sector, the socio-political scene will also witness a significant change in the dispensation of services to a better-educated public. Americans citizens can identify the better leaders, demand accountability, and many other positive attributes that are easier achieved with higher levels of literacy.
On the other hand, there are various people who have raised a number of weaknesses that would befall the United States if the decision is ever made to adopt a nationwide free college policy. The main counterargument relates to the belief that introduction of free education will remove the major cause for inequality for Americans to attend college. However, this is an ill-advised strategy that does not necessarily resolve the underlying issues of institutionalized discrimination founded on cultural and social barriers for the students from low-income families (Carlson & Beckie). First and foremost, the composition of students in colleges has changed to include older individuals looking to further their education. Determination of who qualifies and who does not qualify for the free programs will lead to another murky road of controversies, entitlement and discrimination (Goldrick Rab & Andrew 396). Secondly, entry into college is dependent on other various factors other than cost which continue to alienate a number of Americans from joining higher education facilities. For instance, partially implicit biased standardized tests do not take into account the limited resources students in low-budget schools while competing for the same number of spots in a college with students from better school. Per se, in as much as the free college education policy is a promising policy, it fails to resolve the key issues affecting the American education system.
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The other reason for objecting the introduction of free education relates to an economic concept known as the demand and supply rule. The nature of any economic variable (labor) is that scarcity will always lead to increased value of the said product. This means that free college education will lead to an influx of graduates in the labor market; reduced value attached to a degree to the high number of competing candidates (Carlson & Beckie). Even if a scenario where the economy is assumed to have an unlimited number of job opportunities, free college education will ultimately impact the quality of education negatively by reducing competition among colleges (Goldrick-Rab & Andrew 398). The best colleges in America thrive on the competitive nature of the industry by churning out the best graduates and inventions to attract top performers from countrywide. The existing solution for the epidemic of financial burden for many college students rests on the ability of the government to introduce measures that efficiently identify the most financially-challenged students. This will directly empower the students and avoid any possible scenarios where the program could fail due to poor implementation. The government serves the purpose of serving her citizens, providing an equal platform for all students to accessing education through programs such as free college tuition should be established.
