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In retrospect, financing higher education in the United Kingdom has been a dilemma for many stakeholders in the UK education system (Barr and Crawford, 2005). Some stakeholders hold the opinion that the government should take the sole responsibility of financing higher education in UK and make it free of charge. On the other hand, some stakeholders hold the opinion that higher education in the United Kingdom should be subsidized in the sense that both the government and the students should incur some level of costs towards financing higher education in the U.K. The divergent views among education stakeholders in the UK have escalated the dilemma on whether higher education in the U.K should be absolutely free (Greenaway and Haynes, 2003). In essence, higher education in the United Kingdom should not be completely free due in the sense that free higher education is associated with opportunity costs, undermines quality of education, and leads to labour inequalities.
Discussion
Firstly, one of the disadvantages associated with free higher education is that free higher education is associated with increased opportunity costs in the sense that most of the government financial resources will be redirected towards spending in higher education. The increased government spending on free higher education will lead to underfunding of other economic sectors. Additionally, increased government funding of higher education will lead to increased taxes as a strategy to offset the government expenditure in providing free higher education. Citizens will be forced to incur the costs of funding free higher education through increased taxes on commodities and services (Johnstone, 2004).
Secondly, another disadvantage of providing free higher education for all in the United Kingdom is that free higher education will undermine the quality of education. According to Lynch (2006), free education system will lead rise in the number of people enrolled for various degree programs. The increased number of people enrolled for various degree programs will eventually lead to increased pressure on limited educational resources such as teachers, library and learning facilities. For example, according to Psacharopoulos and Papakonstantinou (2005), free higher education will lead to high teacher student ratios which in essence lead to poor quality education. Additionally, increased pressure on limited educational facilities will also undermine the quality of education due to increased competition for limited academic resources.
Thirdly, another disadvantage of providing free higher education is the fact that free higher education leads to increased constraints on labour market. Free higher education will lead to an increased influx of people enrolled for various degree programs. The increased influx will eventually lead to production of too many university graduates into the market. The production of too many graduates into the market will lead to a constraint on the labour market capabilities in the sense that the labour market cannot handle the number of university graduates being produced as a result of free higher education (Acemoglu and Pischke, 1999). The subsequent result is that free higher education will lead to increased unemployment among university graduates (Bai, 2006).
However, despite the various disadvantages associated with provision of free higher education, one of the main counter arguments advanced in favour of free higher education is that; free higher education leads to increased equality and increased education externalities. For instance, as postulated by Anderson (2007), free higher education will make higher education accessible to the less fortunate members of the society. This is attributed to the fact that free higher education will reduce the costs associated in acquiring higher education hence; opening up a myriad of opportunities for the less fortunate in the society to access higher education in the United Kingdom. Additionally, according to Patrinos andPsacharopoulos(2011), increased free education is associated with some education externalities such as increased workforce productivity and an educated society.
Conclusion
Higher education should not be absolutely free in the sense that free higher education leads that free higher education leads to increased constraints on labour market, free higher education undermines the quality of education and that free higher education is associated with increased opportunity costs. On the contrary, there are various disadvantages that are associated with provision of free higher education; there exist some advantages associated with free higher education. For example, increased free higher education will lead to a productivity workforce and increased access to equal education opportunities in the United Kingdom. However, despite the advantages associated with free higher education, the disadvantages outweigh the advantages hence higher education in the United Kingdom should not be absolutely free.
References: Free higher education in the UK- A dilemma
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Anderson, E., 2007. Fair Opportunity in Education: A Democratic Equality
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Bai, L., 2006. Graduate unemployment: Dilemmas and challenges in China’s move to mass
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Barr, N. A., & Crawford, I., 2005. Financing higher education: Answers from the UK. London:
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Greenaway, D., & Haynes, M., 2003. Funding Higher Education in the UK: The Role of Fees
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Lynch, K., 2006. Neo-liberalism and marketisation: The implications for higher
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Psacharopoulos, G., &Papakonstantinou, G., 2005. The real university cost in a “free” higher
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