I just read this article by Nehemia Shtrasler from Haaretz about why the student strike is a bit ridiculous. I can’t help but agree with his logic. I come from a world where university is a completely different animal altogether, so I can appreciate the Israeli government’s role in providing a heavily-subsidized tuition. On the flip side, I’m paying (and will be forever) the taxes that go towards it. I thought I’d share:
“…And the facts are that university students receive a very heavily subsidized product. Their tuition fees fund only 16 percent of the universities’ budget, whereas the evil and miserly state funds 70 percent of it. The remainder (14 percent) is raised by the universities through donations…”
“…And another fact: …In the rest of the world, the conclusion has been reached that when tuition fees are too low, or even zero, academic standards tumble to a dangerous level…”
“…There is also a moral issue here. Is it fair that those who acquire a profession for life – for example economists, accountants, engineers, computer scientists or biologists – should not pay a reasonable sum of about NIS 30,000 in return? Why should the taxpayer fund it all for them? After all, in a few months of decent earnings, they will be able to recoup all the tuition fees they paid…”
“…And in any case, are students the segment of society that is most oppressed? Perhaps before helping the students, we should be helping the truly weak segments of society: the elderly, the disabled and the unemployed…”
Whadya got: