Difference between revisions of "Students Demand Financial Aid"

Revision as of 23:40, 14 April 2007

The Students Demand Financial Aid issue is about government financial aid for college level degrees. Instead of naming a specific university, this issue carefully was worded to reference a "top university", thus making this issue fairly generic and appropriate for more nations. However, the second option specifically references a minister of "Education" which might imply that nations have a specific department or organization responsible for education named "Education". This issue also makes a reference to ancient Maxtopian poetry, suggesting that there once was another nation or civilization of Maxtopia.

Issue

Students from many universities in @@NAME@@ are protesting about the rising financial cost of studying at university and are demanding that the government provide more financial aid to students.

Debate options

1. "We need money now," screams @@RANDOMNAME@@ a student from one of @@NAME@@'s top achieving universities. "All these tuition fees are just too much! I need that money to spend on books, study materials, accomodation, and alco- well, uh, you get the gist of it. All these fees are doing is preventing people from poorer backgrounds achieving their potential. The government ought to pay for all university expenses. After all if nobody went to university where would all the doctors and teachers come from?"
2. "OH GOD NO THE EXPENSE!" screeches @@RANDOMNAME@@, your minister of Education before eventually calming down. "No, no. This is not a good idea. Do you know how high the tax rate is already without introducing something like this? We should be making tuition fees higher if anything. University is a privilege, not a right, and only the elite should be allowed within those walls. And by elite, of course, I mean rich."
3. "These young people are the greatest resource our nation has," says @@RANDOMNAME@@, a famous demographer. "If you're going to discourage them from going to university then you're cheating our nation out of its potential. What I suggest is government-funded loans to students from poor families. That way we can have the best of both worlds without the expense. Admittedly, some may still not be able to afford it but here's no pleasing some people."
4. "Why bother with universities anyway," says refuse collector @@RANDOMNAME@@. "These students could be working and earning a living instead of wasting time and money learning things with no point whatsoever. Who needs to know about ancient Maxtopian poetry, huh? Who would hire you for that? There are plenty of jobs out there, so why don't they go and get one? I'll tell you why: it's because they are lazy. I propose the government close all universities in @@NAME@@ and make people get a job after they leave school. With all the money saved from closing down universities we can have a well-deserved tax cut too."

Domestic impacts

Option 1

The following game text is added to nations choosing this option:

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It is believed that the first option significantly increases taxes

Option 2

The following game text is added to nations choosing this option:

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It is believed that the second option ...

Option 3

The following game text is added to nations choosing this option:

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It is believed that the third option ...

Option 4

The following game text is added to nations choosing this option:

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It is believed that the fourth option ...

United Nations impact

There are a number of United Nations resolutions that deal with education, and several of these resolutions deal with the rights of citizens to a college education.

Additional materials

• List of Issues
• NationStates Issues Thread on jolt forums discussing daily issues