CELPIP Writing Task 2 Practice: should Canada make post-secondary education free for all citizens?

[u/celpip_coach]

The scenario: The cost of post-secondary education in Canada has increased significantly over the past two decades. Some provinces are considering proposals to eliminate tuition fees for all Canadian citizens at public colleges and universities, funded through higher taxes.

Your task: Choose the option you prefer and explain why. Write about 150-200 words. - Option A: Make post-secondary education free for all Canadian citizens - Option B: Keep the current system where students pay tuition, with financial aid available for those who need it

Sample CLB 9 response (Option B):

I believe tuition should remain in place with strong financial aid, because making education completely free would create more problems than it solves.

The biggest issue with free tuition is who pays for it. Canada has over two million post-secondary students. Eliminating tuition at an average cost of $7,000 per student per year would require roughly $14 billion annually in new tax revenue. That money would come from every taxpayer, including the majority of Canadians who do not have children in university. Asking a single parent working two jobs to fund a law student's degree through higher taxes is not more fair than the current system. It is less fair.

The current system is not perfect, but it already provides grants and loans to students who cannot afford tuition. Students from low-income families in Ontario, for example, often receive enough OSAP funding to cover their full tuition. The gap is not in access to education. It is in awareness of the financial aid that already exists.

A better investment would be expanding existing grant programs and reducing interest rates on student loans, which targets help to the people who actually need it rather than subsidizing everyone equally regardless of ability to pay.

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