Description
An adage says that if you think education is expensive, try ignorance. This is a premise that should be ringing in the minds of government policy makers who believe it is too expensive for a country to afford a free university education. Education, being the most important weapon for individual empowerment, should not come at a price. Available evidence shows that higher education fee is discouraging many students from applying for university programs. According to Lapovsky, about 62% of students do not attend their first choice college because they cannot afford it, and a further 25% argue that their first choice college does not provide financial aid. In addition, Vasagar, when reviewing the effect of fee increase in the UK, states that the led to about 15,000 fewer applicants for degree programs, an 8.8% drop in university enrollment from the previous year. These statistics show that university fees discourage some students from applying for degree programs while others pursue optional careers because they cannot afford fees for their choice programs. The government insists that the burden of proving free university education is too heavy because of the ballooning number students and increased cost of living. However, university education is a constitutional right, and it should be offered free for those who qualify.