06-01-2005, 10:36 AM
Yuunli supports the proposal.
I'm in favor of free education for all. Your qualifications should be the crucial factor to decide whether or not you can attend university, not your parents' bank account.
I have nothing against adult education, night classes, open universities and educational television. But they are made for people who are working and want to catch up on the degree they never got when they were young.
If you study something you're interested in, you're more likely to succeed. Better educate a few interested archeologists and sinologists than masses of unmotivated business administration majors.
Quote: In RL Germany, higher education is "free" -- but only to those who the state deems worthy. In fact, the academic stream begins after Grade 4, so if you are not marked as "academic" by age 10, you are effectively excluded from higher education in that country for life. This is wrong, too far in the other direction.[/quote]
Being a university student in RL Germany, let me tell you how it really is.
Here's a sketch of the system:
![[Image: schulsystem4lr.th.gif]](http://img60.echo.cx/img60/3031/schulsystem4lr.th.gif)
Switching between the different secondary school types is possible at any time (especially in 6th and 7th grade). But of course it's not easy to switch to a more demanding type.
Note that it's a little more complicated, as each of the 16 states has its own scholar system. ;-)
In some states, Gymnasium ends after grade 12, not 13. In some states, primary school ends after grade 6, not 4. In some states, Hauptschule and Realschule are combined, in some states all three secondary school types can be under one roof, in some states grades 5 and 6 are a common "orientation phase"...
University education is still free here (apart from a small administration fee). But a few months ago, the Federal Constitutional Court said the federal government is not allowed to forbid tuition. Many states with conservative governments are going to introduce a tuition of ?500 per semester (about $1500 Canadian per year).
So far, the ?500 tuition exists for "long-time students" (those who have studied much longer than recommended) in many states.
I'm in favor of free education for all. Your qualifications should be the crucial factor to decide whether or not you can attend university, not your parents' bank account.
I have nothing against adult education, night classes, open universities and educational television. But they are made for people who are working and want to catch up on the degree they never got when they were young.
If you study something you're interested in, you're more likely to succeed. Better educate a few interested archeologists and sinologists than masses of unmotivated business administration majors.
Quote: In RL Germany, higher education is "free" -- but only to those who the state deems worthy. In fact, the academic stream begins after Grade 4, so if you are not marked as "academic" by age 10, you are effectively excluded from higher education in that country for life. This is wrong, too far in the other direction.[/quote]
Being a university student in RL Germany, let me tell you how it really is.
Here's a sketch of the system:
![[Image: schulsystem4lr.th.gif]](http://img60.echo.cx/my.php?image=schulsystem4lr.gif)
Switching between the different secondary school types is possible at any time (especially in 6th and 7th grade). But of course it's not easy to switch to a more demanding type.
Note that it's a little more complicated, as each of the 16 states has its own scholar system. ;-)
In some states, Gymnasium ends after grade 12, not 13. In some states, primary school ends after grade 6, not 4. In some states, Hauptschule and Realschule are combined, in some states all three secondary school types can be under one roof, in some states grades 5 and 6 are a common "orientation phase"...
University education is still free here (apart from a small administration fee). But a few months ago, the Federal Constitutional Court said the federal government is not allowed to forbid tuition. Many states with conservative governments are going to introduce a tuition of ?500 per semester (about $1500 Canadian per year).
So far, the ?500 tuition exists for "long-time students" (those who have studied much longer than recommended) in many states.