Tuition fees exacerbate class differences

The Swedish government is considering introducing tuition fees for students from non-EU countries. Aftonbladet newspaper, which has close ties to the Social Democratic Party, fears this could be a first step towards charging all students tuition fees and warns: "Tuition fees cement the class society and threaten the radical idea that education can be an instrument for facilitating social advancement. ... The entire system of study credits is based on this notion. It must be possible for people to gain a decent education. ... Sweden's education policy is based on the principle that universities and colleges are open to everyone. At the risk of sounding solemn, the aim is to make it possible for people to follow their higher calling. Tuition fees pose a threat to this idea."

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