I would like to share my views on the topic at hand, FREE HIGHER EDUCATION.
Someone may ask, what is education?
Education is receiving and sharing of knowledge from one person to another.
Education comes in different forms as we obtain and share knowledge on daily basis and in most of our encounters.
Today, our main focus is on formal education.
Formal education refers to the structured education system that runs from primary (and in some countries from nursery) school to university, and includes specialised programmes for vocational, technical and professional training.
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Now, imagine formal education being free.🤔
Imagine going to school your whole life and not paying a dime.
Some may say it is impossible but I think it is possible. It all depends on the part of the world where you find yourself.
Someone in Europe can say with a full chest that education can be free. But someone from Africa, myself an example will agree otherwise.
Take my country Ghana as an example. Three years ago, our current President promised us free senior high education as part of his campaign policies.
Most citizens were struggling with keeping their kids in school so they gave their votes to him. What they didn’t consider was if this initiative will be sustainable.
In my point of view, higher education can be free but to some extent.
Today, we Ghanaians are enjoying free senior high education but at what cost?
When free senior high school was initiated, students were running a double track system where the students are divided into two groups. The first group goes for some months and breaks for the second to also go in for class.
Now we ask ourselves, what happens when these students are on break?
These breaks last for up to over 4 months and students who can’t afford extra classes are found lazying around or engaging in social vices. During this season, a lot of teenage pregnancy cases were recorded.
Also, free senior high school is failing currently. The government is struggling in providing for the needs of the students as the number of high school students has increased drastically.
Food to eat is a problem and students are struggling all in the name of free education. They even have to pay for the maintenance of the dormitories they live in. Aside that, school administrations make it obligatory for students to pay some amount of money for some activities in school.
Is this free education?
Not considering only the negatives, one positive initiative which was put in place to help students was the provision of learning materials. All new students were provided with learning materials to aid in their academic journey.
Students were also provided with breakfast,lunch and supper. But, all this didn’t last for long as the government didn’t put measures in place to ensure sustainability.
Today, the double track system is no longer in place as students are fully in school until school vacates for the regular holidays.
Free higher education will have both positive and negative effects.
For the positives, people who are not financially stable will be able to also obtain formal education which will go a long way in increasing literacy rate, having a positive impact on the economy.
For the negatives, free education will put a lot of pressure and also increase the workload of teachers as the number of students is going to be on the rise. One might say we can employ more teachers but can we afford to pay all of them?
Do we have enough facilities to contain all the students?
These are all questions to ask ourselves in order to know if free higher education is possible.
Free higher education will not affect the standards of teaching if the right measures are put in place.
Teachers need to be motivated to put in their best and do what they do with a full heart so as to have a positive impact on their students.
Students on the other hand have to put in extra effort to be able to obtain more knowledge and obtain flying colours.
If all parts are played well, free higher education will be one of the best initiatives to be put in place to help promote development in countries.
Thank you.
