Study at the university, right or luxury?

Finishing university and taking a master's degree is an obstacle course.

By Isa Ruíz

A few days ago we made a successful International Meeting of Young Socialists. In that event we exchanged opinions on the different realities of youth. In that way, we continue to reflect on the situation of young people, in this case university students, of the Spanish State.

One of the rights of the youth should be the possibility of accessing university studies, in case you want. As well, in the Spanish State, more than a right has been become a luxury. For years we have witnessed the dismantling of the public education at all levels, but in the case of the University, have finished by turning a training stage into an obstacle course.

First, we must mention the Bologna Plan (1999) signed by various countries in Europe, with the supposed objective of Facilitar ’facilitate the exchange of graduates and adapt the content of university studies to social demands, improving their quality and competitiveness through greater transparency and student-based learning quantified through credits ECTS.'' Actually, This agreement has only brought commercialization and privatization of public education and has been strongly criticized..

… each year of career costs from 900 a 1.500€…

In the case of the Spanish State, supposed a reduction in university careers (from 5 a 4 years), so it becomes almost essential take a master's degree to complement the training and have more options in the working market. However, both the degree and the master are not reach of anyone, since each career year costs from 900 at € 1,500 and depending on the university degree and the autonomous community where study, varies greatly. In the case of master's and postgraduate studies the price rises much more to figures of 1.500 a 3.000€, amounts very difficult to assume for any working family and almost impossible for a student.

While it is true that there is a scholarship system, reality is that many students have ended up dropping out of university for not being able to pay them. Said scholarship system, has been suffering cuts during all the years of the crisis until it has ended up being insufficient. further, the consequences of cuts in public education have also been noted in the tremendous precariousness in the teaching staff. The figure of the associate teacher (which is the core of the templates teachers) and in many cases they are also young workers who are perceiving wages of 300 a 600€. Public education, free and high level should be a right, not a luxury for few. To make it, you have to turn around.