Free education
Free education is education funded through government spending or charitable organizations rather than tuition funding. Many models of free higher education have been proposed.[1] Primary school and other comprehensive or compulsory education is free in many countries (often not including primary textbook). Tertiary education is also free in certain countries, including post-graduate studies in the Nordic countries.[2] The Article 13 of International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights ensures the right to free education at primary education and progressive introduction of it at secondary and higher education as the right to education.[3]
At the University of Oslo, there is no tuition fee except a small semester fee of NOK(600) (US$74).[4] From 2013 in Northern Europe, Estonia started providing free higher education as well. Sweden, until the early 21st century, provided free education to foreign students but changes have been introduced to charge fees to foreign students from outside the European community.[5] Denmark also has universal free education, and provides a monthly stipend, the "Statens Uddannelsesstøtte" or "SU",[6] to students over 18 years of age or students who are under 18 and attending a higher education.[7] Bachelor and master's degree programmes in Denmark are offered in either Danish or English depending on the programme or university.[8] Argentina, Brazil, Cuba, Poland, Czech Republic, Greece, Hungary, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Sri Lanka and Uruguay provide free education at all levels, including college and university for citizens.
History[edit]
In the Islamic Golden Age a tradition of free madrasa-based education arose.[42][43]
Free education has long been identified with "sponsored education"; for example, during the Renaissance, rich dignitaries commonly sponsored the education of young men as patrons.[44]
Thomas Jefferson proposed "establishing free schools to teach reading, writing, and arithmetic, and from these schools those of intellectual ability, regardless of background or economic status, would receive a college education paid for by the state."[45]
In the Soviet Union, Vladmir Lenin's government instituted a number of progressive measures which included access to universal education.[46][47]
In Sri Lanka, C. W. W. Kannangara introduced universal free education from kindergarten upto undergraduate degree, becoming the first country to implement free education on national scale. [48]
In the United States, Townsend Harris founded the first free public institution of higher education, the Free Academy of the City of New York (today the City College of New York), in 1847; it aimed to provide free education to the urban poor, immigrants and their children. Its graduates went on to receive 10 Nobel Prizes, more than any other public university.[49] During the late 19th century, the United States government introduced compulsory education as free or universal education, which extended across the country by the 1920s.
In 1944 U.S. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt signed the Serviceman's Readjustment Act, also known as the GI Bill of Rights, into law. The GI Bill allowed World War II veterans to attend universities at no cost to them.[50]
A report regarding free higher education was prepared by President Truman in 1947, however, no action was taken, according to what was written in the report. Therefore, it never became a reality. One possible reason could be the ongoing Cold War at that time, which made President Truman shift his focus from the report to the war-defense spending.[51]
Governments typically fund compulsory education through taxes. Aggravated truancy can be prosecuted. Homeschooling, private or parochial schooling usually offer legal alternatives.
With the start of many free internet-based learning institutions such as edX (founded in 2012) and MITx (announced in 2011), anyone in the world with Internet access can take free education-courses.[52] In many countries, the policy for the merit system has not yet caught up with these recent advances in education technology.
After the 2011–13 Chilean student protests, tuition-free college was a major campaign promise of Chilean president Michelle Bachelet in 2013. After some years marshaling support and funding, the gratuidad law was passed in 2018, and as of 2019 covers tuition at participating schools for families in the bottom 60% of earnings nation-wide.[53]
On the Internet[edit]
Online education has become an option in recent years, particularly with the development of free MOOCs (massive open online courses) from providers such as Khan Academy (High School) and Higher Education, through providers such as edX, Coursera, Udacity, FutureLearn and Alison. Free education has become available through several websites with some resembling the courses of study of accredited universities. Online education faces barriers such as institutional adoption, license or copyright restrictions, incompatibility and educator awareness of available resources.[54]
Due to the extensive requirements of resources for online education, many open community projects have been initiated. Specifically, the Wikimedia Foundation has developed a project devoted to free online educational resources, Wikiversity, and recently, several other sites for specific topics have developed.[55]
Christian Leaders Institute offers tuition free college level ministry education. Students can take any classes free of charge, but are encouraged to help support the mission of the institution by making donations to this 501 (c)3 United States Charity.[56]
The Islamic Open University (IOU), a distance-learning higher education institution, offers tuition-free graduate and undergraduate degrees. A very modest registration fee is charged per semester, which is based on the human development index and thus varies from country to country.[57] The IOU is offering one million scholarships for African youths by 2020.[58]
Nidahas Vidyalaya has started an initiative named Freedom College towards providing tuition-free education in Sri Lanka.[59]
Other examples[edit]
In the US many students do not attend college because they cannot afford it. A study shows that eligible and skilled students who are worried about the increasing cost of college are 12 to 16 times more likely to quit college.[60]
Free education does not only take the form of publicly funded institutions like state universities.
In France, philosopher Michel Onfray created the first non-governmental free education university since antiquity, in 2002, with his Université populaire de Caen in Normandy. His decision was triggered by the accession of far-right party Front National to the second round of the 2002 French presidential elections. Onfray stated that people need more political, historical and philosophical background education to be more conscious citizens. His university is run by an association loi 1901.[61]
In Iran, Nasra is a movement aiming to meet the learning needs of all children, youth and adults in 2018.[62] This social movement focuses on digital media use and mental health and increase the skills of using the media for the public.[63][64]