Public Education Is in Danger

The good examples of well-developed public education systems are UK and US government education policies which provide considerable governmental financial support of talented but poor students.

Historically public education funding by government had its peak after the Second World War when both UK and US were in need in high-educated mass with broad knowledge in international politics, history, psychology, literature, anthropology etc. Both UK and US governments funded public universities and covered more than eighty percent of higher education tuition fees. Higher education mobilization was required to be political and social leaders in global society. Although such mobilization was in need as a political driving force it has very effective consequences. Natural science, humanities, academic science, technologies and innovations had tremendously developed in society. Thus, public education sector had proved its necessity and effectiveness. However, for the last few decades it has been noticed that government funding of public education is being considerably cut. While the UK government funding in grants is still a vital and significant part of the country education system the US is practicing now what is called ‘economic demand’. The most marketable and prestigious subjects such as law, business administration, economics and engineering are offered to study for such a high fee which could hardly be affordable for most of students. Classic sciences are not in need either of society or government.

Another negative aspect of government funding in public education is public universities’ financial crisis. Having been almost completely granted by the government for years they are not facing the trouble of surviving. Public universities in the US now have nothing to do but increase their tuition fees which, in turn, make them less accessible for poor. Thus, public universities have become equal to private institutions where just a few families can send their children to study. Now high tuition fees at the US public universities take more than 25 percent of the income of families with low income. It means that such families would prefer their children to study the sciences which will market students best. Thus, broad and basic sciences such as history and literature are not in need. The worst thing is that the need of broad and basic knowledge has always existed, and global development of modern economy would require such knowledge in recent future.

The poor government policy regarding public education funding is now seen as the real threat for higher education availability, and the word ‘public’ would lose its real meaning and be replaced by ‘private’ one in the nearest future. The considerable increase of government grants and public universities financial support will definitely revive public education system which had proved its success and huge benefit for society and its country.