NationStates Jolt Archive

Dear fellow delegates,
I have just submitted this proposal. I am open to any questions or suggestions and would appreciate your support in this matter.

Respectfully yours,
Ender,
Kalataen


The Right to Higher Education
A resolution to promote funding and the development of education and the arts.
Category: Education and Creativity
Area of Effect: Educational


Description: Noting that the cost of higher education (university level) is crippling and hinders the further education of a large proportion of today's youth due to their socioeconomic background.

Reminding that the future of every nation rests in the hands of the younger generation

Insisting that governments and educational institutions (regardless of whether the two are independent or not) should make higher education more accessible to students with fewer funds.

Acknowledging the fact that universities need funds to continue to improve their facilities and provide the best possible education but simultaneously,
Noting that universities should be non-profit organisations and should only receive enough money for the proper running and improvement of their institution.


Suggests the setting-up of more scholarships - funded by the government or sponsored by local industry. A special panel will be responsible for reviewing applications and awarding scholarships where needed.

Encourages the gradual decrease of university fees.

This is a reasonable idea, but I'm not sure the execution is quite right. Specifically, you need to expand on the suggestion of more scholarships, and put it in an international context. As it stands, there's not really enough substance. For example, you could establish a central UN fund that can disburse scholarships for applicants from member nations.

Also, if you need a committee for oversight, I suggest using an existing one: the UNEAF, set up Resolution #171.

-- George Madison
Legislative Director
Quintessence of Dust Department of UN Affairs

Thanks for the advice - still new at this.
Will see to it

Kalataen,

You have my entire support with the notice of Quintessence of Dust.

While we would be glad to support the notion of increasing scholarships, we fear that the much-lauded UN Educational Aid Act (UNR #171) actually precludes such. Specifically:

6. Entrusts nations with the right and responsibility to decide on the structure of their public education systems and the role of private institutions, mandatory, encouraged and prohibited subjects, skills and course elements in educational institutions, and the financing of educational programs, subject to previous UN legislation still in effect;

Your proposal, which simply "suggests" that financial things be done, may be mild enough not to contradict this, but if so it becomes questionable as to whether the proposal does anything at all.