Government investment in higher education makes sense
The Jan. 10 Style article “It’s been a real education” reported on Sarah Pool’s student loan debt, a too-common issue now. The burden being faced not only by her but also by an untold number of people in similar cases is un-American in my view.
To add insult to injury, in the same edition of The Post, reference was made to a report by the World Bank that projected a 30 percent increase in the number of skilled workers among developing countries in 2040 [“Skills gains predicted in developing nations,” Digest]. In contrast, the World Bank projected a decrease in the number of skilled workers in developed countries by 2050.
The evidence over the past decade shows that this country is losing its economic advantage to countries that have recognized the value in the increase of their own skilled workers.
After I completed my master’s degree in science, my wife and I did not have the resources to continue my path to a doctorate. Luckily, the National Defense Education Act was legislated just in time — 1958 — to allow me to complete my doctorate. As agreed, I committed myself to teaching, which allowed a 50 percent reduction in the loan over five years. The balance was paid off in the succeeding five years from my salary.
This process should be emulated to deal with the current issue. I trust that the investment made by the government was worth it as I served as a federal government employee for 35 years.
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