Why OSAP Should be Accessible to Everyone
If you live in Canada, you might have heard of the new motion being passed by Doug Ford regarding OSAP money. Tuition fees will be reduced by 10%. The Ontario government will no longer provide free tuition for low-income students. The 6 month grace period to pay back the OSAP money has also been eliminated (Macleans, 2019).
Many low-income students are frustrated because they felt that they had an opportunity at getting an education and having a better future. However, Doug Ford seems to disagree with that since he allegedly said that education is not a right, but a privilege during his debate in the house of commons.
Regardless of the decision that has been made, I have 3 reasons why education should be free for everyone:
Reason number 1: Many low-income students are actually people who have migrated to the country in hopes of a better life. Yet, this motion only holds them in that status of having hope forever. Nobody wants to have a low income for the rest of their life; people want to prosper and provide a better future for their children. In addition, the people who do not have a low income can benefit from free education because they can focus on paying off other things rather than their education.
Reason number 2: Students are more united when they all have free education because they are not broken apart when they see that they are all treated the same. Divisions in crowds create problems, and it only makes the community less safe to be in, and different opinions make people fight all the time.
Reason number 3: Free education ensures that everyone is educated and they are a better product for the community. They will be more educated socially, economically, and will be an asset to the country as a whole. They will hold the future in their hands. The future being held in an uneducated man’s hands (*cough cough*) is a dangerous thing.