Though, in general, other countries have a culture of scholarships that's meant to counterbalance the amount of money students need to cough up in order to study. The Netherlands don't have that: they only have the governmental aid, which gets cut off after 4 years. (Quite logical, that.) The 3.000 is just exorbitant. Or extortion. Whichever you prefer.
In the system I got my BA & MA in, if you exceed a certain number of units enrolled, those excess units stop being subsidized. So you just pay the full value. Fining students is just plain wrong, and fining universities will only serve to "encourage" them to prod students who're on the brink out of there.
It sounds like the government there is taking a cue from California's techniques--the answer to all your budget problems is slaughtering higher education. It may just serve to drive people out of the country for university.
All governments talk a big game about wanting to be at the forefront of knowledge and enlightened societies, but when push comes to shove, higher ed's always the first to feel the cuts.
Except that when people leave California to study somewhere else, they can still seek solace within the US. Dutch students would have to actually leave the country, which is even more all kinds of counter-beneficial.
Grimly hilarious: every single government of ours keeps telling they'll invest in education in four years.
Very true, although I was referring more to the fact that politicians here and there don't think about the potential for serious "brain drain"--have they not considered that, when the Dutch students leave the country or the Californians leave the state for higher ed, there may be no reason for them to want to come back for employment?
I don't know how the numbers crunch there, but a little while back, some group figured out that for every dollar our state puts into education, they get seven back, thanks to all the things these educated kids will put into the economy. But somehow that gets forgotten when it's time to make serious cuts.
Aw fuck, are you talking about the DUO/IB-groep money? I get money from them, and I'm taking an extra year and a half due to doing co-op. And I just don't understand what the point is in fining students who are taking longer. That's just plain stupid, I understand that it could potentially be a drain because some students will take incredibly long to finish one degree, because they will get money, but there are those who need the extra time. It'd make more sense to propose a different set up, that if a student takes too long implement a slight cut into their aid, unless there is a legitimate reason e.g. they've been ill and were unable to attend university.
Politicians suck. "We want to improve our country's education, but we don't want to put the money into it." Hey dipshits, education costs, live with it, we have to.
You'd think they'd have the wits to figure this all out by themselves, wouldn't you? Alas. Thankfully, I'm not too negatively affected by this cut. Depending on your major, you might not be either.
Pffft, I have a feeling that when you choose to become a politician you have to sell your brain... I'm an English Lit major... I guess time will tell. Joy...
Comments 7
(The comment has been removed)
Reply
It sounds like the government there is taking a cue from California's techniques--the answer to all your budget problems is slaughtering higher education. It may just serve to drive people out of the country for university.
All governments talk a big game about wanting to be at the forefront of knowledge and enlightened societies, but when push comes to shove, higher ed's always the first to feel the cuts.
Reply
Grimly hilarious: every single government of ours keeps telling they'll invest in education in four years.
Reply
I don't know how the numbers crunch there, but a little while back, some group figured out that for every dollar our state puts into education, they get seven back, thanks to all the things these educated kids will put into the economy. But somehow that gets forgotten when it's time to make serious cuts.
Reply
Politicians suck. "We want to improve our country's education, but we don't want to put the money into it." Hey dipshits, education costs, live with it, we have to.
Reply
Alas. Thankfully, I'm not too negatively affected by this cut. Depending on your major, you might not be either.
Reply
I'm an English Lit major... I guess time will tell. Joy...
Reply
Leave a comment