Every year Aussie Uni students rack up thousands of dollars worth of HECS debt, but the one way we’ve been able to make ourselves feel better about our soul-crushing debt is by comparing it to the shit-show that is America’s education system. Well it looks like we won’t be able to do that anymore, because President-elect Joe Biden just announced that community college will now be completely free and public college and universities will be free for families who earn under $125,000 (USD) a year.
Shortly after announcing that Dr. Miguel Cardona would be the next Secretary of Education, Biden posted his administration’s plan for free college education on Twitter today.
In the 21st century, twelve years of school isn’t enough. That’s why under the Biden-Harris plan, community college will be free — and public colleges and universities will be tuition-free for families earning less than $125,000 a year.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) December 24, 2020
Biden also announced other changes in the Biden-Harris education plan, such as: tripling funding for title one schools, better access to high quality pre-kindergarten, raising teacher wages and fully-funding students with a disability.
“We need to make sure that every child in this nation has access to an education, regardless of their zip-code…regardless of any disability,” Joe Biden said.
We need to make sure every child in this nation has access to a good education — regardless of zip code or disability. pic.twitter.com/YGp4rB1IjA
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) December 24, 2020
It’s big news considering that on average Americans pay up to $48k a year in college tuition fees, according to Top Universities. That means parents usually save for years to get their kids into college, or they simply don’t go.
It’s a step in the right direction and will mean there are less barriers to getting an education in America.
However, some Americans in the replies were not happy with Biden’s decision, believing that ‘free’ education equates to more money being paid by the tax-payer.
Absolutely don’t agree with this. My family works way to hard to support their children. My grandchildren also work to contribute to their education. So, their taxes should be used to pay for others just because they earn over $125,000 per year. I think not.
— Teresa Burgin (@burtre6397) December 24, 2020
An Aussie woman was quick to call out these “selfish” comments.
I’m an aussie and the amount of selfish comments on here is just mind blowing! The amount of people that are basically saying they struggled so everyone else has to is just nuts
— kat louise (@katvic85) December 24, 2020
*Fingers crossed* that ScoMo might give free university education a go in Australia, but I wouldn’t hold my breath.
