Private Education--Oppression or Benefit?

Should the government ban for-profit private education such as private universities and private schools? On one hand, the government stopping all for-profit educational institutions would be a devastating move to the economy and the quality of education. On the other hand, however, education would no longer be a business but more so as a service open to all so someone’s quality of education and even life will not be decided, for good or for bad, by their parents’ wealth.

If the government actually made private for-profit education illegal the results would be devastating in both the short run and the long run. Despite good intentions, the repercussions would be crushing because a whole industry in the economy will be closed down and the quality of education would be lowered immensely. The government already is immensely in debt so it would only increase the debt more if the government were to absorb the whole education industry. Moreover, the economy as a whole would be dealt a massive blow as all the business bent over universities and private schools would have to collapse and the job market would only worsen. Economically, it simply would not be feasible. Worse, the law would backfire and lower the quality of education for all because all the best education institutes in America are private and for-profit. If they were all collapsed by the government, even if the government set up public institutions that were non for-profit in their place, the quality wouldn’t be matched properly. In the short run the economy would just crash and in the long run the quality of education will be lower than ever before.

On the other hand, though, private institutions are currently doing even more harm, the result of years and years of oppression through high costs for high quality education, than the consequences of enacting legislation against for-profit private education. In this day and age, higher education isn’t at all a privilege but an economic necessity. To find a high end job one needs high quality education. But if a kid has what it takes to get into Harvard and has the prospective outlook of becoming very successful in his career, but his parents don’t have the money to send him there, how is it fair that he gets sidelined. Of course there are plenty of scholarship opportunities for students, but it is in no way egalitarian of America to allow easier admission to students from high-income families but force students from lower income families to pay through scholarships. Unless there is equal opportunity for every single person the people of America will remain oppressed. If all men are created equal truly, then why is it a child from a wealthier family stands a far higher chance of going to a higher quality university and becoming successful in his life than a child from a lower income family. It is in no way enough than all children stand a chance through public universities and scholarships, but all people must stand an equal chance in life or else they will be very much oppressed. The key to allowing all people to stand equal opportunity is through education being equally open to all. Very fundamentally, education should never have been and can no longer possibly be a business, but must be a tool that is open to all people, regardless of absolutely anything. Moreover, this sort of legislation can be enacted with ease if the government simply buys out each major higher education institute, and keeps the quality of the institution up, but lowers the cost so its doors are open to all. There may be short term repercussions, but in the long run our society will finally be equal for every single person will stand an equal chance at education, the key to success.