This can be achieved by creating more open universities, adult education centers and informal learning venues. Companies can be encouraged to provide employees with the facility to upgrade skills in the spare time. It can lead to a degree, but other than the necessity of the individual's employment or his or her personal interests, compulsory higher education is liable to fail. This is also because the funding problems will always persist. One of the general arguments is for the liberal education for all youth in such a manner that they become more effective in the modern industrial setting and the education must be practical and must suit the vocational calling of the student. This it is argued that it would provide for a better workforce eliminating the 'low-skilled, unemployed young people.' (Skilbeck; Connell; Lowe; Tait, 228) In the market-based societies like UK and USA the need to create a skilled workforce makes the contemplation of compulsory college education a very important consideration. So if a student goes for work after school and does not enter college, will that bring about a loss for the nation? While there is a need for high degree of skill and specialization does it warrant a compulsory college education? One important consideration is funding. Even without making it compulsory, colleges and universities are in dire need of funds and one source is the willing learner who pays the high fees. Even then it is reported that in the UK for example most universities are under funded, and the students are not affluent and the higher...

(Barr; Crawford, 269)
Lastly not all graduates are effective, and not all school dropouts suffer. For example Bill Gates and Steve Jobs did not attend universities but their contributions to society are unmatched. On the other hand millions of university educated persons are now unemployed. The education must be free, in the sense there is no compulsion or restrictions in learning and low priced and must be useful to a person if pursued life long. This can be achieved only by an informal education system like adult education and open universities rather than colleges.

Conclusion:

The effectiveness of higher education is no doubt proved. It cannot be mandatory because it will result in injustice to the weaker sections of society. Continuing education must be based on the vocation of the individual and more than a college curriculum an informal setting which benefits employees and workers in different settings is important. Therefore making college compulsory is not warranted.

References

Barr, Nicholas; Crawford, Iain. Financing Higher Education: Answers from the UK.

Routledge: London, 2005.

Gray, David Edward; Griffin, Colin. Post-compulsory education and the new millennium.

Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2000.

Skilbeck, Malcolm; Connell, Helen; Lowe, Nicholas; Tait, Kirsteen. The Vocational Quest:

New Directions in Education and Training. Routledge: New York, 1994.