I am in education as you know, I have worked both the American and British system.
In Britain, where two of my children were and are curretnly being educated, the student grants were abolished and student loans were brought in to replace the grants.
This means that more people can go to university in the UK, however, the student loan system means that most youngsters, from average families leave university with debt, that is deferred unti their income reaches a certain level, and they begin to pay it back. This can mean that a young person begins their life in debt and it can become hard for them to make their way in the world so heavily laden with debt.
I have worked, two businesses and in education to pay for my children's education, to keep their student loan to a minimum, my son has three jobs and my daughter two, my 'borrowed' child is at my school with me and he will be branching out into work soon.
My children will graduate with little debt, as I have worked my ass off for 20 years to ensure this happens.
So for an 18 year old in the United Kingdom whose parents, cannot afford to send them to university then they have the opportunity to go to university providing they meet the grades, but they will leave with a sunstantial amount of debt.
I work within the American fee paying system, so all of our children are educated from 11-18 with a view to graduation anywhere between 16 and 18, to go to colleges througout Europe and the US, this is a system that is expensive and can cost anything around 30,000 euros a year.
So the children at my school are damn lucky, as they have parents who can afford the fees, I could not afford the fees at my school not with three of them to provide for.
I worked my ass off as a youngster to ensure that my debt was minimum, also did my degree before computers, whilst my children were in bed at night, the only way, as my ex husband was rather lazt with work, that I could ensure that I had the holidays with my young uns, and could provide some financial security that would ensure I could afford to provide my children with the education that would set them on the correct path.
It has taken me until I am my age to gain financial security, my third child, graduates this year to go to college in Europe, I am retiring from teaching when this happens, and concentrating on other business interests that I have.
Education is needed these days, although there are many people who are not educated who do manage to survive, but you are right, there are opportunities out there, but laziness is around and it would appear that many people are too lazy and want it all on a plate.
I have served three plates, full ones, full of love, support and food, I will support them, but they have had good solid grounding in how only hard work when money is not so easy to come by, will get you through.
Good thread.
Finally.
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