{"id":49887,"date":"2019-10-24T12:30:03","date_gmt":"2019-10-24T19:30:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/world.edu\/?p=49887"},"modified":"2019-10-24T12:39:39","modified_gmt":"2019-10-24T19:39:39","slug":"does-free-education-guarantee-the-accessibility-of-higher-education","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/world.edu\/does-free-education-guarantee-the-accessibility-of-higher-education\/","title":{"rendered":"Does free education guarantee the accessibility of higher education?"},"content":{"rendered":"

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\nOn 11 October 2019, the Constitutional Council\u00a0confirmed<\/a>\u00a0the French State’s duty to provide free public higher education.\u00a0This decision is based on the preamble of the Constitution of October 27, 1947, which in paragraph 13 states that:<\/p>\n

“The Nation guarantees equal access for children and adults to education, vocational training and culture.\u00a0The organization of free and secular public education at all levels is a duty of the State.\u00a0“<\/em><\/p>\n

In 1947, students of higher education represented a tiny minority of each generation, and the main question was to ensure that every child could attend primary and secondary education, which was often provided in the near future, without a fee. .\u00a0But in this paragraph, the Constitutional Council also reads that public education must be free at all levels, including after the baccalaureate.<\/p>\n

This seems quite reasonable at first, since free admission seems to be a condition for ensuring accessibility for all.\u00a0If this applies to initial training, there is no indication that this would not be the case for continuing education.\u00a0The first sentence of paragraph 13 seems to suggest it.<\/p>\n

Public institutions should then deliver their programs for the unemployed, entrepreneurs and employees free of charge – even though the Ministry of Higher Education encourages them to develop their activity in this area to diversify their financial resources!<\/p>\n

It is true that in 1947 adult continuing education was poorly developed and may not have been clearly identified by members of the National Constituent Assembly.\u00a0On the other hand, it is likely that they wanted education at any level to be accessible to all.<\/p>\n

Costs beyond tuition fees<\/strong><\/h4>\n

Graduate studies represent a\u00a0financial effort<\/a>\u00a0that often goes beyond tuition fees.\u00a0For many students, travel and accommodation costs are often important, and the scholarship system is not enough to pay for them.\u00a0Free education is only one element of its accessibility.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, the\u00a0significant\u00a0development<\/a>\u00a0of student loans (virtually non-existent in 1947) is a significant springboard to paid training, whether provided by public or private institutions.\u00a0With reduced interest rates, they help to increase accessibility to higher education.<\/p>\n

This is only partial because the banks usually ask the parents to stand surety.\u00a0It is clear that the accessibility of higher education is a decoy for young people from modest backgrounds.<\/p>\n

In reality, the French higher education faces many difficulties to be at the rendezvous of the preamble of the Constitution of October 27, 1947. The state of public finances makes it difficult to achieve the principle of free education in all the formations, especially if we want to guarantee genuine accessibility for everyone, regardless of their family background and geographical location.<\/p>\n

In addition, the increase in the\u00a0number of students<\/a>\u00a0each year, tends to reduce the resources devoted to each student, and it is the most fragile who are the victims.\u00a0Relatively few young people from disadvantaged backgrounds enter higher education, and when they do, they fail much more often than others.\u00a0We are far from the intention of the drafters of this preamble.<\/p>\n

Australian model<\/strong><\/h4>\n

However, some countries have found a way to face this\u00a0challenge<\/a>\u00a0\u00a0: to be accessible to the greatest number and to offer quality higher education for all.\u00a0It is true that they rely on devices that emerged after 1947.<\/p>\n

For example, since 1989, Australia has introduced the system of contingent repayment loans (PARCs) which allow higher education to benefit from public funding supplemented by funding provided by the beneficiaries of the training.\u00a0Australian students go on to higher education without paying US $ 1 in tuition fees, but once they graduate, if they are in high-paying jobs, they repay the loan they received.<\/p>\n

Thus, graduates who do not find a good job, do not repay anything, and if their annual income is over AU $ 45,881 (27,987 euros), they spend 1 to 10% of it to repay their debt, knowing that this percentage increases with income.\u00a0As the ad claims, 100% of the winners played;\u00a0but with this device, no one can lose.\u00a0Hard to imagine better.<\/p>\n

The model has been virtuous for Australian students and for society as a whole.\u00a0Since 1989, the country has experienced uninterrupted growth and a very low unemployment rate, particularly because of the positive impact of\u00a0PARCs<\/a>\u00a0on human capital growth and innovation.\u00a0The positive impact of education, and in particular higher education, on economic growth and competitiveness has been demonstrated in the\u00a0article<\/a>\u00a0by P. Aghion, L. Boustan, C. Hoxby and J. Vandenbussche, and\u00a0in that<\/a>\u00a0of Anna Valero and John Van Reenen.<\/p>\n

Risks supported<\/strong>\/h4>
\nThe Australian model makes it possible to remove two obstacles to the financing of higher education by students:<\/p>\n