What are cegeps? Cegeps are publicly funded educational institutions that provide general and vocational education. They offer two year and three year specialized career programs graduates may pursue further studies at university. There is barely any tuition fees for cegeps, inexpensive fees for all students to cover materials, activities and administrative costs. Therefore students take advantage and four semester programs take five and more semesters to graduate. As a teacher in Vanier College, it is my duty to acknowledge the fact that students in cegeps are not concern much about failing a class, knowing theyll be other semesters to catch up. I feel that increasing cegep tuition fees could be a positive thing. Many students dont care about education but the quality of education has to become above average for all. The education system in Canada has definitely been tested in the last few years and will continue on being tested. Teachers are being tested as well, because we are the ones who have to prepare students for universities, and thanks to us, you can receive academic achievements, a career and future, meaning big bucks! It is argued that students should be excused from paying for their education. But how can that be if thanks to tuitions students succeed in getting a well paid job assured for the rest of their life, so what is a few thousands compared to millions.
Education is everyones responsibility, but obviously a large part of responsibility goes to teachers. But how can we teach if we barely have students show up to class on a regular basis, therefore teachers cancel more often classes, which makes students happy. Id like to think I made a difference in someones life when I teach them something, but when students dont show up to class, how can you take pride in knowing you thought someone that can someday be the next president. A good example happened a few years ago, when I left Boston to come to Montreal, I wanted to teach at in my old cegep, Vanier College. As the semester progressed, I notice a decreasing amount of students attending classes. In United States, students are more encouraged to come to class because they paid a lot for get there, compared to Canada.
Anyway, about two months into the autumn semester, around ten students out of thirty who were registered for my class, were only showing up once every two weeks. Which is a pretty low number for a class, considering that where I use to teach, hundreds of students attending my classes all at once. So, one day when they all showed up to class I kept them after class, so I can found out their reasons for not showing up to class. They each made up excuses, the most popular ones were being sick and too much schoolwork. I had to fail them, and they didnt even argue for a passing grade, they simply knotted and said they would retake this class next semester, even though it was their fifth semester already. I felt so insulted. Since that day, I decided that students were allowed to only one unexcused absence, but I always end up getting appointment notes, to cover their absence. Increasing fees will provoke students to push themselves to come to class because a good amount of money would be involved, and a great deal of loss if they dont show up to class.
I have seen some of the most incredible teachers who go beyond their powers to make a student pass and they try to be fair with others. I also try to be fair to all my students; I pay attention to each of them and give them enough office hours for questions, in order to achieve a satisfying point in their studies. Teachers need to be recognized for what they are worth and who they are. By increasing fees, and getting students to come to class more often, it may be a beginning for students to realize that teachers are hard workers, and try to make the best of the semesters by teaching them and making learning pleasant. There are benefits for those who work in other professions, but not enough benefits for those in the schooling system. Society needs to create a schooling system that helps those learning to enjoy it, but with no funds we cant achieve prosperity.
Going through life with a PhD, or NBA is worth paying any tuition fee, it doesnt matter whether its increased a lot, because earning diplomas, or having a title such as DR., will increase the money you spent for your studies times two all for you. I agree that many people have to take loans, and end up in debts, such as single parents who have numerous expenses, but paying a college fee will increase your chances in getting a position in firm, or a pharmaceutical company, because youll show that you graduated college successfully, taking two years instead of three to graduate college. Your kids would be in school kindergartens, instead of house ones, because youll have a 9 to 5 job in a company not McDonalds and enough to provide them with necessary things. Unsuccessful students AKA: dropouts are often looked as delinquents. But because fees arent high enough, they know they can come back to school after a year or two of dropping-out, and re-enroll in a program, but increasing fees will push them to stay in school, in order to lower delinquency and increase certified graduates in monetary fields.
In conclusion, Id like to make you aware that solutions for those increased fees can occur, such as having sponsors, or getting private companies such as debt management assistance like in other provinces such as Saskatchewan, involved in order to help people pay and manage their expenses. The key is to plan ahead!
