Tuition Fees Ballooning in Canada - Essay Example

Beltrame concludes by saying that the increased tuition fee is making students graduate with high debts which has a lasting impact on how they start their lives.
The author uses credible sources like the report from Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives to support his claims that there is an alarming increase in tuition fees across the education system across Canada. The author also uses information from Statistics of Canada to support the fact that increased tuition fee only favors those from rich families as opposed to those from poor families. The author supports his arguments by comparing tuition fee charges across various provinces of Canada to prove that the exorbitant fee charges are way beyond the expectation of most families. The author is a writer of the Canadian Press and therefore is well acquainted with policy issues relating to the cost of living in Canada. Beltrame’s article is therefore timely, descriptive, and well researched.

Eisen, B. (2012). Arguments for cheap tuition are not supported by evidence. Troy Media. Retrieved from http://www.troymedia.com/2012/07/09/arguments-for-cheap-tuition-are-not-supported-by-evidence/
This article seeks to refute the claims that low tuition fees in the education system result in high enrolment for students who wish to pursue higher education. Eisen asserts that there is no evidence that supports that low tuition fee attracts young people to go to university. He further argues that the research establishes a contrary opinion on Quebec’s model on free tuition. Eisen argues that high despite high tuition rates in Ontario, the area has witnessed increased enrolment in tertiary education just like other places which charge low tuition rates. He, therefore, disputes claims that lowering tuition fees is a good investment for the country since it increases the number of graduates leading to high productivity in the future.

Eisen is a policy analyst from The Centre for Public Policy and thus enjoys experience and expertise in publishing reliable information concerning public policy. In this article, he supports his argument from recent research publications of Troy Media in disputing the fact that low tuition fee is beneficial for the country. He compares university participation in Ontario and Quebec with high and low tuition rates respectively to conclude that charging low tuition fees does not increase university participation. Eisen also supports his arguments by extensive research on the relationship between tuition fees and university access done by Ross Finnie of Ottawa, who establishes that Ontario tuition rates are accessible for everybody irrespective of their financial status. Eisen’s article is thus descriptive, timely, and well researched.

Ryan, S. (2012). The Case of Zero Tuition. National Post.Retrieved from http://fullcomment.nationalpost.com/2012/06/01/sid-ryan-the-case-for-zero-tuition/
The article supports the idea that the education system should be free since this is the future workforce of the country. Ryan argues that Ontario students pay up to three times the average of Quebec fees while undertaking the same undergraduate program, with professional programs such as law and medicine highly affected. He is against the high cost of education since most households are already struggling with the high cost of living, leading to a lot of debts. He explains that the high cost of education is likely to drive people into more debt since education is a necessity in today’s world. Ryan argues that it’s prudent if the government considers university education free as it considered high school education free in the last century so as to provide a modest living for its citizens. He also argues that the government can possibly fund the free education system the same way it has demonstrated willingness to support the military fighter jets and tax breaks for companies getting rich. The author further argues that students have a right to demonstrate against the high tuition fees imposed on them by the government since they are already struggling with high debt coupled with stagnant incomes.

Ryan is the president of the Ontario Federation of Labour therefore he seems to understand more about the dynamic of the education systems and the impact on the economy and households. He compares his arguments for a free education system in other countries to mean that his formula is workable since it has succeeded in other countries. Ryan also supports his arguments based on the findings of the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives that households' contribution to the tax system is very low and thus, the tuition fees at the universities should be eliminated. The author also argues his case due to its success in OECD countries that charge zero or minimal fees in their higher education system with great success, making his argument reliable. Ryan’s article is thus timely, descriptive according to this content, and well researched. Read More