After Lower Saxony recently overturned post-secondary tuition fees, all of Germany now provides free post-secondary education. Germany now joins a number of countries, including France, Denmark, and Norway, which provide free tuition.
Many Canadians, including the Canadian Federation of Students, are now pushing for Canada to follow in Germany’s footsteps. With our country’s student debt now surpassing $15 billion, one would think that this would be an effective decision.
I don’t believe that a free university education is a good idea. Although it may relieve student debt, it would cause a multitude of other problems. Tuition fees wouldn’t just magically disappear, the money would still have to come from somewhere – taxes. So although students may be relieved of student debt, taxpayers (which students will soon become) would face the burden of higher taxes. Furthermore, in a society where the job market is extremely competitive, many students rely on the education, skills, and experience that they’ve developed throughout university to help them find a job. Many students aren’t able to find a job straight out of school. With no tuition, many more students will be able to attend university and the job market will become much more competitive.
Although getting rid of tuition fees may relieve students of the debt they encounter while receiving an education, this would not benefit taxpayers or the job market.